Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation, has refuted claims of moral and sexual harassment after prosecutors acknowledged a Monday probe into his actions.
After being accused of inappropriate behavior by agent Sonia Souid, Le Graet last week took a temporary leave of absence from his position as president.
In an interview with RMC, Souid described how she thought Le Graet had been attracted to her sexually throughout their interactions between 2013 and 2017.
Additionally, the 81-year-old is charged with inappropriate behavior toward female staff. The publication where these accusations were made, So Foot magazine, was sued for defamation by the FFF.
Parisian prosecutors confirmed to Stats Perform on Tuesday that a probe into “sexual and moral harassment” began the day before.
Le Graet published a statement of his own in response, denying the accusations.
The release, published by AFP, said: “[Le Graet] denies all (the) accusations of moral or sexual harassment or any other criminal offences.
“[Le Graet] denounces these repeated announcements by way of the press, which intervene [in the case] before the mission of the inspection has even made its provisional report.
“In this administrative investigation, which is clearly incriminating, Mr. Le Graet has had neither the opportunity to take cognizance of the elements concerning him, nor the opportunity to put forward his observations in defence, which is seriously prejudicial to the essential rights of the defence and the presumption of innocence.”