The key facts

  • Troyes dismissed sporting director Jocelyn Blanchard 'with immediate effect'
  • The Troyes prosecutor's office opened a judicial investigation, L'Est Eclair reports; the prosecutor's office did not respond to AFP
  • Female club employees complained of inappropriate behaviour and sexist remarks; the internal investigation is being conducted by City Football Group

Club ends cooperation

Troyes, promoted to Ligue 1, announced on Friday the dismissal of sporting director Jocelyn Blanchard 'with immediate effect'. The club's statement said that 'Esperance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne' and Blanchard have ended their cooperation, and that ESTAC will focus on continuing its sporting project and will soon begin the search for a new sporting director.

Judicial investigation and complaints from female employees

The announcement came hours after a report by the local newspaper L'Est Eclair, which said the Troyes prosecutor's office had opened a judicial investigation against the 54-year-old former footballer. The prosecutor's office did not respond to an AFP request on Friday. Blanchard had been under scrutiny since early October, when the outlet reported an internal investigation at the club. According to the report, several female employees filed complaints, accusing him of inappropriate behaviour and sexist remarks. The internal investigation is being conducted by City Football Group — a holding company that owns 12 clubs, including Manchester City, of which Troyes is a member.

Situation before the dismissal

Despite the internal investigation, Blanchard was present before last year's... before the home defeat to Marseille, 0:2, last Sunday. Club president Edwin Pindi said at the time: 'Troyes currently has all the necessary tools to shed light on what is happening — that is exactly what we have sought to do in recent weeks and will continue to do in the coming days.'

Blanchard's career and the club's situation

Blanchard joined the club in the summer, having previously worked with Pindi at Dunkerque, where he was sporting director from 2020 to 2023, and earlier held the same post at Lens in two spells between 2011 and 2017. As a midfielder, he played, among others, for Metz, Juventus and Austria Vienna. After being relegated from Ligue 1 in the 2022/23 season, Troyes returned to the top division this season and sit 17th with one win from six matches.