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SportsZidane signs FFF contract before sports governance law takes effect, bypassing salary cap
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The French Football Federation (FFF) has signed Zinédine Zidane as the new coach of the French national team, with a contract that exceeds the €450,000 gross annual salary cap set by the newly adopted law on the governance of professional sport. Because the contract was signed before the law was promulgated, the FFF will not need to request a derogation from the Ministry of Sports to pay Zidane above the threshold. The law, which was formally adopted by the National Assembly and Senate on July 20-21, caps executive salaries in sports federations. Sports Minister Marina Ferrari has stated she disagrees with the salary cap and believes the state should not intervene in the remuneration of private structures like the FFF, which has significant own resources. Zidane's official presentation is scheduled for Tuesday at the FFF headquarters, following confirmation by the federation's executive committee.
Source report
The French Football Federation (FFF) has moved ahead of the recently adopted "law on the governance of professional sport," a text that notably transforms the LFP into a "club company" and addresses several issues, including the remuneration of executives and employees of sports federations.
Salary Cap Set at €450,000
On July 8, a joint committee (Senate-National Assembly) decided to cap annual gross remuneration at €450,000—the same limit applied to "the chairman of the board of directors of a state-owned industrial and commercial establishment." The text was formally adopted in public session at the National Assembly and the Senate on July 20 and 21.
Derogation Not Required
While it is possible to exceed this cap with a derogation from the Ministry of Sports, such a step will ultimately not be necessary. The contract between Zinédine Zidane and the FFF has just been signed, and the law has not yet been promulgated. The Federation will therefore not request ministry approval to exceed the now-authorized threshold—which would have been required quite significantly. This also ensures that the remuneration of the former Juventus and Real Madrid playmaker remains confidential.
FFF Opts Against Seeking Ministry Opinion
In this matter, the FFF could have chosen to seek the opinion of its supervisory ministry but decided not to do so. This is particularly notable given that Marina Ferrari, the Minister of Sports, has repeatedly stated she does not wish to interfere in the affair.
Speaking on RTL on Monday, Ferrari recalled that the law was "not a government initiative text" and that she "expressed her disagreement on the subject" of the salary cap and the derogation, because she "believes that it is not up to the state to intervene in the remuneration of a private structure." She added: "The Federation has very significant own resources that do not depend on the Ministry of Sports. But there is an agreement between parliamentarians, between deputies and senators. So be it."
Official Announcement Scheduled
The official announcement of Zidane's recruitment will take place on Tuesday during a press conference at the FFF headquarters. Earlier in the morning, the Federation's executive committee will meet to "confirm" the choice made by Philippe Diallo, the body's president.
Source
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French Parliament Raises Salary Cap to Enable Zinedine Zidane as National Coach