June 26 – French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been warned that the country will be banned from international competition if his Government interfere in the organisation of the national football federation following the team’s disastrous performance in the World Cup in South Africa.
Sarkozy has vowed to personally investigate the squad’s meltdown, and met with Prime Minister Francois Fillon and Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot on Wednesday (June 23) to discuss ways to reform French football.
He has also held private talks with former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, the team’s leading and most influential figure.
Jerome Valcke, the French-born general secretary of FIFA, has warned that the world governing body will be watching developments and will not hesitate to take action if they fear that the Government are breaking FIFA’s regulations and are interferring.
He told Associated Press: ”I told them to be very careful, because every time there is interference FIFA will react like any country.
“We will definitely look at what France is doing, and that’s not just because I am French.
“No [Government official] can ask for someone to resign.
“There is a system in place to run football around the world and that system is under FIFA.
“We are always warning people about how this pyramid is working.”
Iraq were banned by FIFA in 2008 for breaking Article 13.1.(g), which states that national federations are obliged “to manage their affairs independently and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties”.
Greece were also banned for a brief period in 2005 because its Parliament tried to change a law regulating professional sports organisations and Spain were threatened with suspension before Euro 2008 because the incoming Government wanted sports federations to hold elections before the Beijing Olympics later that year.
France, the World Cup winners in 1998 and runners-up in 2006, failed to win a match in South Africa and returned home in disgrace.
Sarkozy has ordered a “football parliament” in October to consider the implications of the South African debacle.
Valcke said: ”I hope to avoid having to send an interference letter for this situation.”
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