Defending World Cup champions France have booked their place in the World Cup semifinals, but all is not well with French football. Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation, has been accused of sexual harassment, and the country’s sports minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera, has launched an investigation.
The findings could have an impact on national team coach Deschamps’ future, reports Marca. Le Graet earlier stated that if Les Bleus reached the semifinals in Qatar, Deschamps would have the right to continue as coach. Deschamps is one of only three to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a manager, along with Brazilian great Mario Zagallo and German legend Franz Beckenbauer.
However, if Le Graet is convicted of the crime and France fails to win the onoging tournament, Deschamps’ future as coach may be jeopardised. If reports are to be believed, his former teammate and fellow World Cup champion Zinedine Zidane is ready to take charge.
The French federation had reportedly planned to file a defamation lawsuit against the So Foot magazine for after it had reported in September that Le Graet had assaulted female federation employees. The So Foot magazine released an exposé in which it quoted unidentified federation employees. The claim was that Le Graet sent inappropriate text messages to women and that the federation had a hostile work atmosphere.
Deschamps was asked about his future as France coach, but the World Cup winner refused to comment and instead said that he was focused on his side’s semifinal encounter against an impressive Morocco side. Deschamps added that considerations about the future would take place after the World Cup.
“Each thing in its own time. It’s great to achieve the objectives set by the president. He is happy and many people I imagine are happy in France, but I like to enjoy what we have achieved again, that is to say, to be again among the four best teams in the world,”
the 54-year-old said during a press conference.
On Wednesday, France will take on Morocco in the semifinals in a bid to reach their second-consecutive World Cup final.
