By Andrew Warshaw
March 6 – Disgraced former French FA president Noel Le Graet, who resigned last week after 11 years in charge amid a slew of allegations, looks increasingly likely to also have to throw in the towel from his privileged position within FIFA’s inner circle of decision makers.
Le Graet is a candidate to retain his $250,000-a-year seat as one of Europe’s representatives on FIFA’s ruling council, a position elected by UEFA member federations and which is due for renewal at next month’s UEFA congress.
The 81-year-old Frenchman has not yet publicly announced his withdrawal from FIFA’s top table but is being challenged for another four-year term by Portuguese FA boss Fernando Gomes, a UEFA vice-president and popular member of UEFA’s executive committee.
Reports suggest that in an election run-off, Gomes would likely have the support of UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin who is said to resent Le Graët’s closeness to Gianni Infantino, having been appointed by the FIFA president to run FIFA’s satellite office in Paris.
Infantino has repeatedly heaped praise on Le Graet, who strongly denies all the allegations against him. The pair have maintained an especially strong relationship after Le Graet was one of few European FA bosses to publicly back Infantino’s plans to stage the World Cup every two years.
While Le Graet’s future on the FIFA Council seems untenable, it has come to light that were he to stay in the race, he would not have to take another integrity test, a requirement for all members.
Insideworldfootball has seen a copy of a letter written by UEFA’s administration to all member federations confirming that those standing for FIFA Council election, including Le Graet, have passed eligibility checks carried out by the FIFA Review Committee.
It is unclear exactly when FIFA conducted the tests but if they occurred after Le Graet became embroiled in scandal, questions could legitimately be raised about how he could have been given the green light to stand again.
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