June 6 – France’s troubled build-up to the World Cup has suffered another blow after the country’s Sports Minister Rama Yade criticised the squad for staying at a luxury hotel.
The squad, which includes Franck Ribery and Thierry Henry, are staying at the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa in Knysna on the Indian Ocean coast, where rooms start at $595 (£481) per night.
“Personally, I wouldn’t have chosen this hotel,” Rama Yade told Radio J, claiming that the favourites, Spain, are staying on a university campus.
Yade added she “urged football authorities to show decency” during a time of economic crisis.
“If France goes far, the choice of a site with the best training conditions could seem wise,” she said.
But if Les Bleus perform poorly, she said, soccer officials “will have to explain themselves.”
France midfielder Alou Diarra responded to the comments of Yade, who was born in Senegal and has been a member of Nicolas Sarkozy’s Government since 2007.
“Many people must be jealous of this hotel,” Diarra said.
“They are ideal conditions … we have very good lodgings, but that’s not a secret for anyone, anymore.
“I think Rama Yade is learning.
“Let’s just say the Sports Minister has her things to say, [she] has her point of view.”
Yade, 33, was appointed as Sports Minister in June 2009 after she refused to follow Sarkozy’s request and stand in the European elections, so the role was seen as a demotion having previously been Secretary of State for Human Rights.
She, nevertheless, currently has the highest approval rating in the French Government with over 70 per cent.
Diarra said the team would not be affected by what Yade said.
“We’ll block it out, we don’t want to mix sport and politics,” he said.
“We’re concentrating on the tournament.
“Our objective is to be ready to play Uruguay on Friday (June 11).”