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A race-related controversy is simmering in France over the composition of its football (soccer) clubs.
The country’s sports minister Chantal Jouanno, has asked French Football Federation (FFF) to explain reports that clubs have had a secret racial quota on teams in order to limit the number of black and Arab players.
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The French investigative news website Mediapart first broke the allegations of a secret race quota on soccer clubs.
Reportedly, senior FFF members set a limit of 30 percent for the number of black and Arab trainees on youth clubs starting from the age of 12 or 13.
"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," Mediapart claimed.
"According to internal sources at the FFF, who have been shocked by the proposals, instructions were sent to the different managers of training schools, notably the National French Institute at Clairefontaine.”
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Mediapart also claimed that prominent FFF members, including Laurent Blanc, the national coach, and FFF technical director Francois Blaquart approved the quota.
"A genuine segregation applied to football," the report said.
Top French national club players like Lilian Thuram and Thierry Henry are black.
Jouanno said: "Discrimination has no place in sport, whether it's in the stands or in the training academies.
The federation has denied that it ever had such a policy.
Philippe Tournon, media officer for the French national team, said Blanc is outraged by the allegations.
"Laurent Blanc rejects these accusations which run contrary to his whole philosophy," Tournon told media.
"Laurent Blanc is outraged that he has been accused in this way, since he rejects any kind of discrimination. He would never agree to such measures."
FFF president Fernand Duchaussoy told reporters that he was "surprised by the report.
