France coach Laurent Blanc, who helped win the 1998 World
Cup as a player, has been implicated in the affair but has yet to attend a
Ministry hearing into reports the federation wanted quotas for African and Arab
players in youth teams.
"I want to bring serenity because what is happening is
dramatic for football and for sport," Jouanno, who has backed Blanc, told
reporters as she confirmed her first report would land on Monday.
"You cannot accuse Laurent Blanc of being racist and we
must tell everyone to remind themselves of the wonderful image of France
'98." France won the World Cup on home soil with a team dubbed
'Black-Blanc-Beur' (Blacks, Whites and Arabs) by French media.
Blanc, slammed by some of his France '98 team mates such as
Patrick Vieira, has denied being racist and said any comments he made at a
November meeting into dual nationality players were taken out of context but
could "offend some sensibilities.”
Since investigative website Mediapart first broke the story
on alleged quotas, a ministry and separate federation inquiry have been set up
with the latter due to make its first report on Tuesday although that could be
delayed.
The latest information published by Mediapart is a chart,
which it says was circulated internally at the federation and identifies young
players with dual nationalities who were likely to choose to play for teams
other than France.
"What we should look at is what this chart was really
about," added Jouanno, who declined to say when Blanc would be heard by
the inquiries given he is on holiday in Italy.
"The date of the hearing is confidential, I promised
him," she said.
"He is in the process of reviving the France team and
he instills values. Now we must find a solution to the crisis." France
endured a woeful World Cup last year and their players even went on strike but
they are top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group under their new coach.
France '98 captain Didier Deschamps, now coach of Olympique
Marseille, fully backed his friend Blanc.
"I am very sorry for Laurent because people are
attacking the man, not the coach or the educator," Deschamps told
reporters.
"Freedom of expression exists, so does freedom to stay
quiet. Two inquiries are underway. They are there to find answers to determine
the degree of responsibility of each person.
"Laurent
Blanc is the coach and I hope he stays for as long as possible. There is not
the least ambiguity."
