French Footballing Officials Trying To Limit....

Paully D

...black and arab players entering youth training schemes to ensure the French national team becomes more white.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/29/french-football-race-row

France has been plunged into a fresh race crisis after claims that football officials tried to limit black and Arab players on youth training schemes to make the French team more white.

The French football federation has opened an internal investigation after website Mediapart reported that top management approved a quota system to limit young black players and those of north African origin emerging as candidates for the national team. The alleged plan involved limiting non-white youngsters as young as 12 or 13 from entering the selection process through training centres and academies.

"For the top brass in French football, the issue is settled: there are too many blacks, too many Arabs, and not enough white players in French football," the website said.

According to Mediapart, one of the most senior football federation figures wanted to set a cap of 30% on players of certain origins, but insisted at a meeting the quota should be kept quiet. At another meeting, the French national team coach Laurent Blanc allegedly backed changing youth talent selection criteria to favour players with "our culture, our history". Sources claimed Blanc cited current world champions Spain, saying: "The Spanish, they say: 'We don't have a problem. We have no blacks.'"

Amid stupefaction from players, the French governmenthas asked for clarification from the football federation, which has denied setting out a quota policy.

The federation's national technical director, François Blaquart, said the organisation's "only problem" was with dual national players who were trained by France and then went off to play for other countries. He said this applied to players of all races.

The French team's media officer, Philippe Tournon, said Blanc "categorically denies that he could have supported selections based on ethnicity or skin colour". He added that "it goes against his philosophy" and said that Blanc was "outraged" by the allegations.

The issue hit a raw nerve in France in 1998, where their World Cup victory by a multicultural team led by Zinedine Zidane was hailed as "black, blanc, beur", and was said to symbolise a new beginning for a mixed nation, but it mainly gave way to great unease and bickering over the racial profile of "Les Bleus". Not only did the far-right Jean-Marie Le Pen complain of too many black people in the team, a leading Socialist regional head, the late Georges Frêche, was expelled from his party in 2007 for making the same observation.

Crucially, the French team's mutiny at the World Cup last summer was privately blamed by some on black or Muslim players, including the French convert to Islam, Franck Ribéry. Speculation was that the team had fragmented over the lack of the football team's "national identity".

One of the first measures taken by Blanc – a World Cup winner from 1998 – when he became coach of the French team last summer was to stop the team policy of eating only halal meat.

Mediapart said federation officials had even challenged the morphology of black players. The website claimed Blanc had suggested that a stereotype of player, which he described as "large, strong, powerful", needed to be changed. Blanc allegedly told a meeting of senior federation figures: "And who are the large, strong, powerful? The blacks. That's the way it is. It is a current fact. God knows that in the training centres and football academies, there are lots."

Counting people by race or ethnic origin – even for census purposes or for statistics research – is banned in France, a state which, in theory, is blind to race or religion. The notion of quotas is fundamentally anti-republican.

Henri Guaino, Nicolas Sarkozy's special advisor, said he was "viscerally opposed to any form of quota", adding: "Setting quotas would be the end of the republic."

Lilian Thuram, a World Cup hero who is outspoken on racism and once accused Sarkozy of judging people along race lines, commented on the row: "Initially I thought this was a joke. I'm so stunned I don't know what to say." He added that if the reports were true, the scandal would run and run.

****ing disgraceful that, if true (which it will be). I wonder how they'll worm their way out of this one.

d22ontour

Guess they didn't mind when their team was influenced by immigrant/2nd generation immigrants when it suited them and also coincided with them winning stuff...

YouTookMyName

Henry, Vieira and Zidane were proper shite like....

Pro. F

I just hope this isn't true

TangyZizzle

It's France. Of course it's true.

#15

If that's true, they'll surely have to resign from their jobs.

Blatter

TangyZizzle wrote: »

It's France. Of course it's true.

You do understand that this post is racist in itself?

TangyZizzle

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

You do understand that this post is racist in itself?

I'd love for you to try and explain to me how the French are a race. If anything, its xenophobic. If you're going to criticise a post, do it properly.

Guy:Incognito

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

You do understand that this post is racist in itself?

Xenophobic no?

Edit Damn TangyZizzle. :-)

Blatter

TangyZizzle wrote: »

I'd love for you to try and explain to me how the French are a race. If anything, its xenophobic. If you're going to criticise a post, do it properly.

It could be technically viewed as racist. The term ''racism'' has a very broad definition these days and doesn't have to be applied exclusively to ''race'' as such.

Anyway, relax, I wasn't having a go at you, I was just pointing out the irony of your post in relation to the thread.

tallaghtmick

ok lads we need to sign a petition for the irish passports for dark french footballers scheme anyone with me?

Paul Tergat

Disgraceful

kryogen

If true, and lets face it, it has a good chance of being so, its a disgrace, but not really surprising considering the nation, only thing is, if the quotes attributed to Blanc are correct he has gone way way down in my estimation

Strange how they forget where some of their most gifted players have come from tbh

Surely Zidane,Viera,Henry,Thuram,Makelele etc.. cant already be forgotten, or the recent golden boy of French football Karim Benzmea, what about Hatem Ben Arfa? Strange lot

eagle eye

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

It could be technically viewed as racist. The term ''racism'' has a very broad definition these days and doesn't have to be applied exclusively to ''race'' as such.

Anyway, relax, I wasn't having a go at you, I was just pointing out the irony of your post in relation to the thread.

Give it up man, TangyZizzle pwn'd you, just accept you were incorrect and move on.

On the OP, well if true its disgraceful behaviour by all involved and they should not only get sacked but be brought up on charges of some sort.

TangyZizzle

eagle eye wrote: »

Give it up man, TangyZizzle pwn'd you, just accept you were incorrect and move on.

Nobody was pwn'd, we had a brief discussion by PM to clear the matter up. I wonder what made you feel you had to comment on the matter?

Blatter

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Nobody was pwn'd, we had a brief discussion by PM to clear the matter up. I wonder what made you feel you had to comment on the matter?

Oh, it's EE. He was insinuating something about me by ''observing'' my posts the other night, feels like an obsession at this stage.

kryogen

this thread just got weird

Predator_

Dont see a problem.

Optimalprimerib

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

You do understand that this post is racist in itself?

It's not racist, it's ethnic criticism bill

pickarooney

If there's any shred of truth in this, and I do believe there is, though it would amaze me if the Blanc comments were real, this is utterly sickening.

Pauleta

This is what they do in South Africa. They discriminate against white people to let blacks into teams and give it the jingo phrase "Positive discrimination" :rolleyes: Itswhy Kevin Pieterson was forced to go to England and play cricket there and eventually played international cricket as he was so disillusioned with South Africa. All discrimination is discrimination.

Mr.Crinklewood

At my club I am discriminated against as I am ****e.

That_Guy

That's pretty shocking.

stovelid

Not only disgraceful but short-sighted given the talent that's come from that region in the recent times.

I guess Roy Keane will get his wish anyway - the next Viera will have to declare for Senegal, no doubt.

dreamers75

stovelid wrote: »

I guess Roy Keane will get his wish anyway - the next Viera will have to declare for Senegal, no doubt.

Dont get this, the reason they meant to have put this quota on was to stop foreign players playing for other countries, surely if they were good enough they would play for france?

I seriously doubt this will be proved but the website that broke the story is meant to be like a french panorama.

OhNoYouDidn't

Interesting that there is an assumption that it must be true cos its France. The same France that has been a model of racial harmony and won a world cup with it. Why on earth would they put limits on the next Henry and Zidane's? How would they do it? Who would sign that memo? Who would accept it? None of it computes

This is entirely unproven and the reaction of the FFF has been nuclear and to go legal. But the boards.ie intellegensia lap it up.

stumpypeeps

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Interesting that there is an assumption that it must be true cos its France. The same France that has been a model of racial harmony and won a world cup with it. Why on earth would they put limits on the next Henry and Zidane's? How would they do it? Who would sign that memo? Who would accept it? None of it computes

This is entirely unproven and the reaction of the FFF has been nuclear and to go legal. But the boards.ie intellegensia lap it up.

Laurent Blanc: What is there now as tall, burly, powerful? (...) I think the blacks need to refocus, especially for boys 13-14 years, 12-13 years, have other criteria, modified with our own culture (...) The Spaniards, they told me: "We are not a problem. We, the blacks, we have not. "
Erick Mombaerts: Are we tackle the problem and limit the entry of the number of kids who can change his nationality?

Laurent Blanc: Me I'm all in favor.

Blaquart Francis : We can organize themselves, unspoken, on a sort of quota. But it must not be said.

Erick Mombaerts: So it takes 30%? (...) There are many clubs like Lyon who are in their training center.

Francis Smerecki: I say first thing is discriminatory.

A google translation of quotes attributed to Laurent Blanc.

http://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/290411/quotas-dans-le-foot-la-verite-au-mot-pres

3hn2givr7mx1sc

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Interesting that there is an assumption that it must be true cos its France. The same France that has been a model of racial harmony and won a world cup with it. Why on earth would they put limits on the next Henry and Zidane's? How would they do it? Who would sign that memo? Who would accept it? None of it computes

This is entirely unproven and the reaction of the FFF has been nuclear and to go legal. But the boards.ie intellegensia lap it up.

Model of racial harmony my ass.

strawberryb0y

stumpypeeps wrote: »

A google translation of quotes attributed to Laurent Blanc.

http://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/290411/quotas-dans-le-foot-la-verite-au-mot-pres

Well if it has been reported in the media then it must be true

amacachi

baz2009 wrote: »

Model of racial harmony my ass.

They weren't riots, they were just street parties that got of hand Bill.

stumpypeeps

strawberryb0y wrote: »

Well if it has been reported in the media then it must be true

I'm merely passing on the information. It is unusual for a paper to attribute quotes to a person directly. If false, I'd imagine they are open to libel.

pickarooney

stumpypeeps wrote: »

A google translation of quotes attributed to Laurent Blanc.

http://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/290411/quotas-dans-le-foot-la-verite-au-mot-pres

That's a terrible translation, although the actual quotes aren't a whole lot better.

Laurent Blanc: What big, strong powerful players have we currently? The black players (...) I think we need to refocus, especially on the 13-14 year olds, 12-13 even, we need to have other criteria, based on our own [footballing] culture (...) The Spanish told me: "We don't have any problems. We don't have any blacks."

Erick Mombaerts: Should we tackle the problem and limit the number of kids who can change nationality?

Laurent Blanc: I'd be in favour of that.

François Blaquart: We could have a sort of unofficial quota. But obviously we'd have to keep it quiet.

Erick Mombaerts: So we'd need 30% (...) Clubs like Lyon already have this in their training centres.

Francis Smerecki: I say first of all it's disciminatory.

TangyZizzle

Google translation is notoriously shíte. That said, if those quotes are legit - Blanc's in a world of shír.

mike65

Predator_ wrote: »

Dont see a problem.

In what respect? Racial profiling when developing football talent?

TangyZizzle

mike65 wrote: »

In what respect? Racial profiling when developing football talent?

I am almost certain that that is a wind-up.

stumpypeeps

TangyZizzle wrote: »

I am almost certain that that is a wind-up.

What are you basing that on?

TangyZizzle

stumpypeeps wrote: »

What are you basing that on?

I mean Predator_'s post, not the article in the OP.

Paully D

Predator_ wrote: »

Dont see a problem.

Hi Laurent.

pickarooney

Just for a little more context, the unedited quote from Blanc:

Laurent Blanc wrote:

J'y suis tout à fait favorable. Sincèrement, ça me dérange beaucoup. Ce qui se passe dans le football actuellement, ça me dérange beaucoup. A mon avis, il faut essayer de l'éradiquer. Et ça n'a aucune connotation raciste ou quoi que ce soit. Quand les gens portent les maillots de l'équipe nationale des 16 ans, 17 ans, 18 ans, 19 ans, 20 ans, u21s, et qu'après ils vont aller jouer dans des équipes nord-africaines ou africaines, ça me dérange énormément. Ça, il faut quand même le limiter. Je dis pas qu'on va l'éradiquer mais le limiter dans ces pôles-là...

I'm completely in favour. Honestly, it upsets me a lot. What's happening in football at the moment, it upsets me a lot. In my view we should try put a stop to it. And this has no racist connotations whatsoever. When people line out for France at u16, u17, u18, u19, u20, youths and then they go off and play for [sub-Saharan] African teams or African teams, that really gets to me. We need to limit that all the same. I'm not saying we'll stop it completely but we need to limit it in these areas.

In a way in this quote he's saying the opposite of what a lot of people are interpreting it as - not that there are too many African players on the French team, but that there aren't enough, i.e. after training players up to u21 level they go off and play for other sides (Scotland and Northern Ireland have had similar cases recently). What it seems to boil down to is that they want to promote smaller, more skilful (and apprently by extension white) players at youth level as these are the ones who will still be around at senior level.

Two things don't add up - why imply that non-white players can't be as skilful as the Spanish? There's no 'evidence' of this in French football at all. And who are these players who have a choice between playing for France and an African side and who pick the latter? It's mostly the ones who don't make the grade at international level in France who declare for a weaker national team (and we know all about that!)

101001

pickarooney wrote: »

Just for a little more context, the unedited quote from Blanc:


I'm completely in favour. Honestly, it upsets me a lot. What's happening in football at the moment, it upsets me a lot. In my view we should try put a stop to it. And this has no racist connotations whatsoever. When people line out for France at u16, u17, u18, u19, u20, youths and then they go off and play for [sub-Saharan] African teams or African teams, that really gets to me. We need to limit that all the same. I'm not saying we'll stop it completely but we need to limit it in these areas.

Surely though this happens in lots of countries, maybe to a greater extent in France. It's surely just players who don't make the grade.

Anyone know if any players could've played for France senior, played underage and then played senior elsewhere.

Apart from David ngog... obviously!!

OhNoYouDidn't

baz2009 wrote: »

Model of racial harmony my ass.

It was considered to be so in 1998. 'blank, black, beur' and all that.

There has never, ever been an allegation of racism or discrimination within the FFF. The idea that they would for some reason, spontaneously decide to limit their playing pool on racial lines is not only impractical to actually do in secret, its also a bad idea from an organisation not known for them.

stumpypeeps

pickarooney wrote: »

Just for a little more context, the unedited quote from Blanc:


I'm completely in favour. Honestly, it upsets me a lot. What's happening in football at the moment, it upsets me a lot. In my view we should try put a stop to it. And this has no racist connotations whatsoever. When people line out for France at u16, u17, u18, u19, u20, youths and then they go off and play for [sub-Saharan] African teams or African teams, that really gets to me. We need to limit that all the same. I'm not saying we'll stop it completely but we need to limit it in these areas.

In a way in this quote he's saying the opposite of what a lot of people are interpreting it as - not that there are too many African players on the French team, but that there aren't enough, i.e. after training players up to u21 level they go off and play for other sides (Scotland and Northern Ireland have had similar cases recently). What it seems to boil down to is that they want to promote smaller, more skilful (and apprently by extension white) players at youth level as these are the ones who will still be around at senior level.

Two things don't add up - why imply that non-white players can't be as skilful as the Spanish? There's no 'evidence' of this in French football at all. And who are these players who have a choice between playing for France and an African side and who pick the latter? It's mostly the ones who don't make the grade at international level in France who declare for a weaker national team (and we know all about that!)

Well said. I think that is the heart of the issue.

French football has benefited hugely from its immigrant population.

Least we forget, one of these tall, powerful players was Zidane. Add to that players like Henry, Desailly, Viera etc.

pickarooney

Blacquart's been suspended now.

Here's are some footballing giants who appeared for other countries in the last World Cup after playing for France at under-age level:

Ryad Boudebouz (Algeria)
Yassine Jebbour (Morocco)
Sébastien Bassong (Cameroon)

18 of the Algerian squad were born in France but IMO not one would ever be within an ass' roar of the French team

Moussa Sow is one player who might have a shot at playing for Les Bleus but he's a Senegalese international now. I doubt he'll ever contribute as much as David Trezeguet did to France after being brought up through the ranks in Argentina.

greendom

101001 wrote: »

Surely though this happens in lots of countries, maybe to a greater extent in France. It's surely just players who don't make the grade.

Anyone know if any players could've played for France senior, played underage and then played senior elsewhere.

Apart from David ngog... obviously!!

There's been a few, Kanoute springs to mind

pickarooney

greendom wrote: »

There's been a few, Kanoute springs to mind

Kanouté waited long enough for France to call him up before declaring for Mali.

101001

greendom wrote: »

There's been a few, Kanoute springs to mind

He was 26/27 by the time he played for Mali... And was he ever really good enough france. Although they were quite poor at the time

Dozen Wicked Words

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13236864

Maybe posted before, official suspended.

flahavaj

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Nobody was pwn'd, we had a brief discussion by PM to clear the matter up. I wonder what made you feel you had to comment on the matter?

EE got pwn'd.:pac: