EURO 2024: French Football Federation President Affirms Players' Right to Political Expression

Posted : 18 June 2024

The president of the French Football Federation (FFF) has stated that the players representing France at Euro 2024 are free to express their opinions on the political situation in the country, although the FFF itself will maintain a stance of neutrality.

Philippe Diallo, the head of the FFF, emphasized this point to reporters at the French team's base in Paderborn, Germany. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring the players' freedom of expression while also highlighting the federation's principle of avoiding political or religious debates.

Diallo's statements follow recent comments from French team captain Kylian Mbappe and his teammate Marcus Thuram regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections in France. Thuram urged voters to oppose the far-right National Rally, which is poised to become a significant force in the elections.

The first round of these elections is scheduled for June 30, with the second round on July 7. Thuram's call to action was supported by Mbappe, who spoke out against divisive ideologies and defended Thuram's stance, asserting that his teammate had not overstepped any bounds.

Mbappe further expressed a desire for the country to uphold values of diversity and tolerance, emphasizing the importance of making the right choices in the elections. While Mbappe refrained from endorsing any specific party, his comments highlighted the broader issues at stake. Diallo clarified that it was not his role to censor the players or dictate their public statements, acknowledging that some players had chosen to take a more active stance on political matters.

In his remarks, Diallo stressed that as the president of the FFF, his role was not to guide the political choices of the French public. He respected the players' right to express their views but maintained that the federation itself could not exhibit the same level of freedom in political expression.

Diallo concluded by underscoring the importance of the French team as a unifying symbol for all citizens, cautioning against the team being co-opted for political purposes. The French squad kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a victory over Austria, though the match saw Mbappe suffer a broken nose.

EURO 2024: French Football Federation President Affirms Players' Right to Political Expression

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