French football racial quota scandal

The French Football Federation is probing claims that a secret agreement sought to limit the number of black and Arab players in national training programs. National coach Laurent Blanc and others in the upper echelons of the French game are suspected of secretly agreeing to this, euronews reports. French football racial quota scandal Blanc and others denied such discussions took place. Mohammed Belkaceni, a technical adviser for the FFF, recorded a meeting during which the quota idea was mooted and claims he handed the tape over to his bosses in November but that nothing was done. As a result French sports minister Chantal Jouanno demanded an inquiry and set a deadline for the end of the week. Blanc is heard on the tape recording backing the idea of quotas for young players of dual nationality and suggesting that the large number of black players made for a more physical and less technical style of football. He quotes his Spanish counterparts as saying that they didn’t have such problems as they “don’t have any blacks.” “As far as I know there is no such project about players quotas, as far as I know,” he said on Wednesday. The federation’s technical director Francois Blanquart has been suspended since the claims emerged. Laurent Blanc (Beta/AP)

French football racial quota scandal

Blanc and others denied such discussions took place.

Mohammed Belkaceni, a technical adviser for the FFF, recorded a meeting during which the quota idea was mooted and claims he handed the tape over to his bosses in November but that nothing was done.

As a result French sports minister Chantal Jouanno demanded an inquiry and set a deadline for the end of the week.

Blanc is heard on the tape recording backing the idea of quotas for young players of dual nationality and suggesting that the large number of black players made for a more physical and less technical style of football.

He quotes his Spanish counterparts as saying that they didn’t have such problems as they “don’t have any blacks.”

“As far as I know there is no such project about players quotas, as far as I know,” he said on Wednesday.

The federation’s technical director Francois Blanquart has been suspended since the claims emerged.