French soccer federation president Nol Le Grat is under investigation for « sexual harassment » and « moral harassment, » the Paris prosecutor’s office said Tuesday.
In a message to The Associated Press, the prosecutor’s office said the investigation was opened Monday following a report by the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research. It will be carried out by a special police unit dedicated to crimes against individuals.
The investigation was launched after sports agent Sonia Souid accused Le Grat of improper conduct over several years, saying he only was interested in her sexually. Souid said in an interview with L’Equipe sports daily that Le Grat repeatedly tried to approach her from 2013-17.
The 81-year-old Le Grat agreed last week to step back from his duties as president of the federation following an emergency executive committee meeting into his behavior.
Le Grat has faced several claims of sexual harassment and the soccer federation is the target of an investigation ordered by French Sports Minister Amlie Ouda-Castra.
Le Grat was re-elected to a four-year term last March
Le Grat, who has also been criticized this month for a perceived disrespect toward France soccer great Zindine Zidane, has agreed to step away from his role until the audit’s findings have been fully reviewed by the executive committee, likely by the end of January. Until then, he is being replaced in an interim role by federation vice president Philippe Diallo.
Ouda-Castra ordered an investigation into the federation in September after the body said it would file a defamation lawsuit against So Foot magazine, which reported that Le Grat allegedly harassed several female employees.
The French magazine published a six-page investigation quoting anonymous former and current employees, and inappropriate text messages that Le Grat allegedly sent to the women.
Le Grat was re-elected to a four-year term last March. He is currently a candidate for another four-year term on the FIFA Council, the international soccer body’s decision-making committee.
Souid, who said she first met Le Grat in 2013, told L’Equipe that he texted her to ask her out or tell her he missed her. Souid said he never went too far verbally but made clear she should have sex with him to move her ideas forward.
« He never looked at me like an agent but like a piece of candy, » Souid said.
Souid said she was hurt by Le Grat’s attitude and that she thought about ending her career as an agent. Asked whether Le Grat helped her professionally at some point, Souid said he helped her find the phone number of coach Corinne Diacre and that he tried to help her with business class plane tickets for France player Amandine Henry.
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