By David Gold
May 13 – The French Football Federation (FFF) has cleared Laurent Blanc after releasing its findings from the investigation it conducted into plans to implement quotas limiting the number of dual-nationality players in the country’s academies.
Blanc was cleared of wrongdoing by the government inquiry on Tuesday, with Chantal Jouanno, the Sports Minister, confirming that there was no question mark over the national team coach’s integrity.
The investigations came after Mediapart revealed transcripts of conversations between senior officials including National Technical Director Francois Blaquart, under 21 coach Eric Moembarts and Blanc among others.
Blaquart has been suspended from his role since the revelations were made public by Mediapart after explicitly talking of a quota which would limit the number of players who were eligible to play for more than one nation in the country’s academies.
The FFF confirmed in a statement that they “renew its entire confidence in Laurent Blanc.”
The Federal Council, whilst absolving Blanc, has opened disciplinary proceedings into the role of Blaquart and the FFF Deputy Director Andre Prevosto.
In response to the clearing of Blanc and the conclusion of the investigations, the Conseil Representatif des Associations Noirs (CRAN) declared that they would be challenging the findings.
“Today we are taking a serious decision: in the case of the French Football Federation, we are making a complaint,” it confirmed in a statement.
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