France head coach Laurent Blanc has strongly denied reports that the country's football federation are seeking to introduce quotas limiting the presence of ethnic minority players in the national team.
French website Mediapart alleged that plans were made at a France Football Federation meeting last November - with Blanc present along with Erick Mombaerts, coach of the France Espoirs under-21 team, and under-17 coach Francois Blacquart - to limit the numbers of black players and those of north African origin entering national training centres and academies at the age of 12.
Blanc, though, told L'Equipe on Friday: "This project does not exist. All that, for me, is false."
He added: "It is impossible to put quotas in place in football. If that was put in place, advocating one race above another, I would fall off my chair."
Sports minister Chantal Jouanno promised to liaise with FFF president Fernand Duchaussoy and is confident in the latter's ability to handle the issue.
"Discrimination had no place in sport," she said.
"I know that Fernand Duchaussoy will take all necessary measures without delay. I will obviously be in contact with him to closely monitor the response to this matter."
Source: PA
