Lawmakers involved in a closed-door hearing about France’s World Cup fiasco grumbled that coach Raymond Domenech refused to take any responsibility for his team’s misbehavior and offered no real explanations on Wednesday.
Lawmakers said Domenech, who was retiring, tried to pin blame on the press during the parliamentary hearing. Prominent lawmaker Jean-Francois Cope said his testimony “wasn’t very dignified.”
Many had kinder words for French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes, who plans to resign this week, and who also testified at the hearing held by the National Assembly’s commission on culture and education.
The hearing went ahead despite a warning from Fifa about French government meddling in football affairs. Fifa president Sepp Blatter said the national team risks suspension if President Nicolas Sarkozy or political leaders interfere in the running of the federation.
Lawmakers replied that it wasn’t Blatter’s place to tell them how to do their jobs.
“It isn’t FIFA’s role to threaten French lawmakers; we’re in a democracy and parliamentarians have the right to hear anyone they want,” said lawmaker Eric Ciotti.
“This isn’t just about football, it’s about France: It’s our honor that’s at stake,” added lawmaker Jacques Remiller.
Remiller said the whole hearing was “disappointing and not convincing at all.”
“There will have to be more resignations at the federation, because the problems are deeply, deeply rooted,” he said.
Lawmakers said Domenech blamed L’Equipe newspaper, which printed details of Anelka’s expletive-laden tirade, for the disarray. Domenech also said the paper misquoted the comments. “All Domenech says is, ‘it’s the press, it’s the press,’” complained lawmaker Bernard Debre.
— AP