The situation bothers everyone. Even our colleagues from beIN Sport who asked Sébastien Grosjean on Monday evening about his situation at the head of the French tennis team. “Thank you Sébastien, you will always talk to me tomorrow (Tuesday) I hope”, even concluded, embarrassed, our colleague from the channel on which Grosjean is a consultant.
What is the reason ? To date, Sébastien Grosjean is no longer the coach of the French tennis team, but only the captain. Clearly, he will not be able to choose the players selected for the official matches. Ubuesque. Ridiculous. And an in-between situation that cannot last over time. By way of comparison, it is as if Didier Deschamps did not choose his players and had to be content with the choices of his president, Philippe Diallo. Laughable.
A few hours earlier on Monday, the presidency of the French Tennis Federation (FFT), requested by its ethics committee, withdrew the choice of players selected for the France team from the captain of the Blues Sébastien Grosjean, to avoid possible conflicts of ‘interests. In other words, this choice will fall to three people from now on. The High Level Director (Paul-Henri Mathieu), the National Technical Director (Nicolas Escudé) and the President of the FFT (Gilles Moretton). The first referring to the second, before the president decides and officially announces it. Ridiculous.
“After comparing Mr. Grosjean’s duties as captain with his interests resulting from various outside activities (…), the Committee concluded that certain situations of interference constituting conflicts of interest existed”, wrote the FFT in a statement released on Monday.
Apart from his cap as captain of the French men’s team, Sébastien Grosjean is also director of the Open Sud de France tournament and consultant for the beIn Sport television channel. But he is also co-founder and shareholder of Tennium, a tournament organizing agency and representative of players, in particular Richard Gasquet, who is also a shareholder of Tennium, and Arthur Fils.
It is this last function which could mainly influence the selection process for the Davis Cup and for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, according to the ethics committee. “The committee is of the opinion that the restrictions contractually provided for, no more than the reputation of Mr. Grosjean, are not enough to eliminate the conflicts of interest identified”, according to the press release from the FFT.
Asked about this decision which makes people talk, Sébastien Grosjean, who comments on the Wimbledon matches on BeIN Sports, was closed and laconic on the subject. “There was a press release from the French Tennis Federation. The selection model will change a little bit, but I will remain captain, ”said the former world No. 4. The captain of the Blues since 2018 was revived on the fact of having thought of leaving his functions. “No”, he replied dryly. “There is always pride in being in this position. We started this campaign in February and we have to go to the end. »
