A five-month investigation from the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) found Le Graët to have "failed Federal governance", following the publishing of its final report.

The IGESR criticised his leadership, stating that "the functioning of the Executive Committee illustrates a weakness of democratic exercise", while underlining the "weak weight of the moral authorities" of the FFF.

In addition, he was also accused of sexual harassment and sexism.

It claimed that "his inappropriate and intimidating behavior, [was] often linked to excessive alcoholism."

The report condemned Le Graët's behaviour and has called for his resignation or dismissal.

"Mr. Le Graët should not be fired (…) he must recognise his faults, without knowing which ones precisely, and leave on his own," Le Graët's lawyers said, paraphrasing Oudéa-Castéra, as reported by Le Monde.

"This is the very definition of the Stalinist trial.

"It is extravagant that officials of a Government of the French Republic act in the same way as Soviet prosecutors."

Stalin's Moscow trials are seen as part of the Great Purge campaign to rid his party of opposition.

The lawyers, Florence Bourg and Thierry Marembert, claim that Oudéa-Castéra influenced opinions on Le Graët before the results of the IGESR audit had been released.

They then criticised the provisional report, describing it as "stacked with subjectivity, value judgments and interpretations at charge, showing bias on the part of the investigators against Le Graët".

The 81-year-old, who has led the FFF since 2011, has been accused of sexual harassment by members of the organisation and others.

Football agent Sonia Souid accused him of unwanted sexual advances and felt "the only thing that interested him, and I apologise for speaking vulgarly, are my breasts and my ass".

FFF Executive Committee member Aline Riera claimed that he told French women's head coach Corinne Deacon that "I would prefer that you hold your lips to me" when she greeted him with a kiss.

In regard to Souid's accusations, the lawyers said she "has never been an employee of the FFF and has never been under the authority" of Le Graët and that his requests to meet were always for public places.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino met with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday and is believed to have defended Le Graët, a member of the world governing body's Council and currently a candidate to serve another four-year term with an election due at the UEFA Congress in Lisbon on April 5.

A letter sent on Sunday (February 12) to the Interim President of the FFF, Philippe Diallo, by FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura rose questions about the treatment of Le Graët and possible Government interference. 

"We would like to take this opportunity to recall that the member associations of FIFA (…) have in particular the obligation to manage their affairs in complete independence and [to] ensure that no third party interferes improperly. in conjunction with Article 19 of the FIFA Statutes. 

"We thank you for taking note of the above and remain at your disposal in case of questions or assistance required."

According to a spokesman for Macron, he reassured Infantino that the Government did not plan to interfere in Le Graët's case.

"Mr. Macron is attentive to the independence of the sports movement and does not intend to interfere in the internal governance of the FFF," the spokesman told Le Monde.

"Especially since legal proceedings have been initiated."

The IGESR's report also states that FFF director general Florence Hardouin should be dismissed.

She was temporarily suspended while the investigation was carried out.

The report said that Hardouin’s management style "can be described as brutal" and called her relationship with Le Graët "toxic".