Dual nationality in French football

Alert DateJanuary 11, 2011 Country: France General Type: Discrimination Racism and discrimination phenomena: Afrophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender Male
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin French
Perpetrator Gender N/A
Perpetrator Age N/A
Perpetrators Number N/A
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

In April 2011, the investigative online news organisation Mediapart said that it was in possession of documents suggesting that senior managers in the French Football Federation (FFF) had both considered reducing the number of dual nationality players in training structures (a number of whom leave definitively to play for a national team other than France, generally in North and West Africa), and, in remarks likely to be seen as discriminatory, discussed the role played by athletes of African origin in defensive tactics patterns. The current national coach Laurent Blanc was implicated in these allegations and had to speak out publicly against racism. The national technical director has been temporarily suspended following the disclosure of these documents.

 


- 'French football: managers want fewer Black people and North African people', Mediapart, 28 April 2011.

- 'Football, quotas and discrimination ; the National Technical Director François Blaquart is suspended', Libération, 30 April 2011, liberation.fr/sports/01012334702-foot-la-fede-de-plus-en-plus-suspectee-de-vouloir-instaurer-des-quotas-de-blancs.