PARIS (Reuters) – French Sports activities Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, who heads the group of the Paris Summer time Olympics, has been investigated for defamation, a prosecutor mentioned on Thursday.
The prosecutor, who’s affiliated with the Cour de Justice de la Republique – a particular court docket for presidency officers – mentioned the investigation stemmed from a criticism by former French soccer federation president Noel Le Graet, who resigned from his publish in February 2023 following allegations of harassment. .
Le Graet has denied any wrongdoing.
Weeks earlier than he resigned, an audit by the French sports activities ministry concluded that Le Graet was not match to manage and signify sport in France and highlighted what it referred to as Mr Le Graet's “inappropriate habits in direction of ladies”.
Following the publication of the audit, Oudea-Castera mentioned in public statements: “To start with, it was paternalism and provocation. However with time and alcohol, it become one thing fully dysfunctional.”
A lawyer for Oudea-Castera mentioned she was accessible to the court docket and had beforehand publicly responded to the “baseless allegations” towards her.
(Reporting by Kate Entringer and Sophie Louet and Vincent Daheron; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Enhancing by Richard Lough and Ed Osmond)