By David Gold
April 30 – François Blaquart, the National Technical Director of the French Football Federation (FFF), has been suspended over plans to implement a quota restricting the number of black and north African players in French youth academies.
Blaquart was appointed to the post in October 2010 after his predecessor Gerard Houllier left the post to manage Premiership outfit Aston Villa.
In a statement, French Sports Minister Chantal Jouanno said: “Sports Minister Chantal Jouanno and FFF President Fernand Duchaussoy have decided to suspend Francois Blaquart with immediate effect while the conclusions of the FFF’s inquiry are reached.”
The decision to suspend Blaquart comes amid further revelations from French website Mediapart about the plan to bring in the quotas, which intended to limit the proportion of players from immigrant stock playing in academies to 30 per cent.
Mediapart published some of the conversations held by senior officials, and claims that national team coach Laurent Blanc approved the idea, which was motivated by the suspicion that players from black and north-African backgrounds who held dual nationalities could turn their back on France and play for other nations.
Senior officials such as Eric Moembarts, the coach of the French under-21s, also discussed the issue of whether smaller, technical white players were being ignored by clubs because they weren’t as powerful as players from some ethnic backgrounds.
Yesterday, Blanc spoke out to vehemently deny that he was involved in the discussions over a possible quota, but Blaquart publicly defended the concept and argued that it was necessary.
An inquiry was promptly announced by Duchaussoy, who distanced himself from the plans, but admitted that it was possible others in the organisation may have discussed the quotas.
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April 2011: French Football Federation in ethnic quota row