Blanc in spotlight amid race row probe
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France's national team soccer coach Laurent Blanc receives interviews while leaving Merignac's airport, near Bordeaux southwestern France, May 7, 2011, before two inquiries set up by the ministry and federation.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) |
France coach Laurent Blanc was being interviewed yesterday by the French football federation and the Sports Ministry as part of an investigation into a racism row that has plunged the game into turmoil.
"Laurent Blanc's hearing is taking place today," a source at the FFF said yesterday.
Blanc boarded a private plane in Merignac, near Bordeaux, in the morning to travel to Paris, although the exact location of the hearing was being kept secret.
Sports Minister Chantal Jouanno is expected to be presented with the initial findings of the ministry investigation later in the day and she will hold a news conference today.
Blanc has been under fire since news broke last month that he attended a soccer federation meeting in November where reports say the idea of limits for youth players of Arab and African origin were discussed.
Hot topics
Subjects involving race and immigration are hot topics in France and many of Blanc's former international teammates in the 1998 World Cup-winning side have offered their opinion on the subject.
FFF technical director Francois Blaquart, who also took part in the discussions, was provisionally suspended pending the results of the twin inquiry.
France endured a woeful World Cup last year in South Africa and its players even went on strike but Le Bleus are top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group under their new coach.
Blanc has denied accusations of racism and said any comments he made at the November meeting into dual nationality players were taken out of context but could "offend some sensibilities".
Blanc was quoted as saying that "it bothers me enormously" when players who represented France at youth level later "go to play in North African or African teams."
"That has to be limited," Mediapart website quoted Blanc as saying.
A poll showed yesterday that only seven percent of French people were in favor of Blanc resigning.
