Francois Blaquart of the French Football Federation has been suspended over allegations of proposing a racial quota limiting representation of black and Arab players in youth training. This comes amidst an investigation into comments made during a meeting concerning dual nationality players. Both Blaquart and coach Laurent Blanc have defended their remarks but deny intentions of enforcing racial quotas, while the FFF faces scrutiny over its diversity practices.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has suspended Francois Blaquart, its national technical director, amid allegations of proposing a racial quota for youth trainees. Reports suggest that senior FFF officials had secretly discussed limiting the representation of black and Arab players to 30% for players aged 12-13. Blaquart’s suspension was announced on Saturday following these serious claims, pending an investigation by the FFF and the General Inspection of Youth and Sports (IGJS).
According to the French investigative website Mediapart, Blaquart proposed imposing such quotas during a meeting attended by notable figures including French national team coach Laurent Blanc. The meeting reportedly involved discussions about controlling the number of dual nationality players in French youth academies. Mediapart has published evidence which they argue reflects an underlying racism within the FFF’s operational narrative around player nationality and ethnicity.
Blaquart defended his statements, asserting that they were taken out of context and aimed at managing players with dual nationality. He emphasized the necessity of monitoring these players, as they could choose to represent their country of origin instead of France. Conversely, Blanc denied any intentions to enforce quotas related to race, clarifying his stance against racism, although he acknowledged that comments made could have been misinterpreted.
FFF President Fernand Duchaussoy also denied there had ever been any directives about limiting player representation based on race. As the investigation continues, the Federation faces scrutiny over its approach to diversity and inclusion within French football, highlighting the need for policy reforms that promote equitable treatment across all demographics in sports.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
