France boss vows Women’s WC stay, slams ‘smear campaign’

France coach Corinne Diacre mentioned Wednesday she is the sufferer of a smear marketing campaign as she faces opposition from a number of gamers amid stories she might be changed earlier than the Women’s World Cup.

In a press release from her lawyer to The Associated Press, Diacre mentioned she has been shocked by the “violence” and “dishonesty” of what she perceives as an try to destabilise her.

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Last month, France captain Wendie Renard mentioned she is going to skip this yr’s Women’s World Cup as a result of she is sad with the staff’s setup. Following Renard’s determination, striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto and ahead Kadidiatou Diani additionally introduced they have been placing their worldwide careers on maintain.

Renard didn’t go additional into element, however there have been sturdy tensions within the France squad for years between the gamers and Diacre.

Diani mentioned she would return to the nationwide staff provided that important modifications are made.

But Diacre mentioned she is decided to stay in cost and to “bring honor to France during the next World Cup.”

“I endured, not without great suffering, the display of slander, untruths and ambitions of some and others,” Diacre mentioned.

The Women’s World Cup is scheduled to be performed from July 20-Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

After taking cost in 2017, Diacre stripped Renard of the captain’s armband then gave it again to her in 2021.

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“My detractors have not hesitated to attack my personal and professional integrity without bothering with the truth,” Diacre mentioned. “I will not let myself be affected by this destabilisation operation, which does not take into account my sporting record, and whose only objective is a personal settling of scores.”

Diacre mentioned she has been heard by a fee from the French soccer federation and thanked its members for permitting her “to dispel the lies that were asserted without contradiction.”

She additionally thanked Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, who beforehand urged the federation’s govt committee to hearken to the gamers. Aulas is a member of the committee.

Diacre mentioned Aulas assured her that he was “ready to go back on his public remarks by considering the the situation with objectivity and impartiality.”

“In view of the shameful media outburst of the last few days, I nevertheless wish to reaffirm publicly what I told the commission,” Diacre mentioned. “That I am fully committed to carry out my mission and, above all, to do France proud during the next World Cup.”