French open inquiry into ‘quota’ allegations

THE French Football Federation (FFF) have opened their inquiry into claims France boss Laurent Blanc and other coaches were seeking to introduce quotas limiting the presence of ethnic minority players in the national set-up.

French website Mediapart alleged last week that plans were made at a meeting last November — with Blanc present along with FFF technical director Francois Blaquart, U21 coach Erick Mombaerts and U20 coach Francis Smerecki — to restrict the numbers of black players and those of north African origin entering national training centres and academies at the age of 12.

Blanc strongly denied the allegation on Friday, telling L’Equipe: “This project does not exist. All that, for me, is false. It is impossible to put quotas in place in football. If that was put in place, advocating one race above another, I would fall off my chair.”