France head coach Corinne Diacre has reaffirmed her intention to stay in charge of the national team and has accused critics of orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
Diacre’s position is set to be at the centre of discussions at a meeting of the French Football Federation on Thursday.
Jean-Michel Aulas — the Lyon president in charge of women’s football at the FFF — Marc Keller, Aline Riera and Laura Georges, have been tasked with investigating after captain Wendie Renard revealed she would stand down from national duty until “necessary changes were made” last month.
Renard said she could “no longer support the current system” and added that she would not play at this summer’s World Cup to preserve her “mental health”.
Team-mates Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani later followed suit.
Diacre, though, insists she intends to stay in post and is “fully committed” to leading her country into the tournament this summer.
“For over ten days, I’ve been the subject of a smear campaign which is astonishing in its violence and dishonesty,” she said in a statement to AFP via her lawyer on Wednesday.
“My detractors have not hesitated to attack my personal and professional integrity without bothering with the truth.
“I will not let myself be…
