Ethics Inquiry Launched into French Football Vice President Amid Mayoral Bid
Lyon, France – – Jean-Michel Aulas, vice-president of the French Football Federation (FFF) and candidate for mayor of Lyon in the upcoming municipal elections, is facing an ethics investigation following his proposal to build a new stadium in the Duchère district of the city. The inquiry was opened by the FFF’s ethics committee after concerns were raised about a potential conflict of interest.
Aulas, who previously served as president of Olympique Lyonnais, announced his stadium project during a campaign visit on , highlighting its potential benefits for the women’s OL Lyonnes team and amateur football development. The proposed stadium would have a capacity of between 10,000 and 15,000 spectators, drawing inspiration from the successful Groupama Stadium built under his leadership at Olympique Lyonnais.
The investigation stems from the fact that the FFF’s ethics committee had previously advised Aulas to refrain from making any electoral promises related to football due to the inherent conflict of interest presented by his dual role. According to the magazine Challenges, the committee is now examining whether Aulas’s statements violated these guidelines.
During his campaign stop in La Duchère, Aulas emphasized his position within the FFF, stating, “You know that I am also vice-president of the federation. This 3rd professional division [the future Ligue 3, scheduled to launch next season], which will be managed by the Federation, will need a certain number of intermediate sports facilities.”
Political opponents have accused Aulas of leveraging his position at the FFF for electoral gain, arguing that his proposal breaches ethical standards. They contend that he is attempting to exploit his influence within the football federation to bolster his mayoral campaign. However, supporters of Aulas maintain that he acted within ethical boundaries, asserting that his proposals were made solely in his capacity as a mayoral candidate and not as a representative of the FFF.
The FFF had previously clarified the rules of conduct for Aulas during the campaign, stating that he must “refrain from any electoral promise related to football” and “ensure that he does not use his functions at the FFF for electoral purposes.” In September of last year, the federation confirmed that Aulas could remain in his position at the FFF while simultaneously running for mayor, provided he adhered to these guidelines.
Following the announcement of the stadium proposal, the FFF’s national ethics and deontology council (CNED) initiated an investigation. According to L’Équipe, the CNED has sent a letter to Aulas reminding him of the necessity to respect the rules aimed at preventing the use of football for electoral purposes. The dossier has since been classified, indicating a preliminary assessment has been completed.
Aulas’s press advisor, Roman Abreu, previously stated that Aulas had committed to “scrupulously respecting” the FFF’s rules of good conduct. However, the recent stadium proposal appears to have prompted the ethics committee to take action.
Should Aulas win the mayoral election, he would be required to recuse himself from any municipal council discussions concerning football to avoid further conflicts of interest. This stipulation underscores the FFF’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of its officials and preventing any undue influence on local political decisions.
