Overview
- The federation, which underwent a four-hour hearing in Agen on Friday, was placed under formal investigation for involuntary manslaughter, a status that lets the judge dig deeper and possibly send the case to trial.
- The case centers on 17-year-old Medhi Narjissi, who was swept out to sea on August 7, 2024 during a recovery session on a beach near the Cape of Good Hope, and whose body was never found.
- An inspectorate review found the trip’s planning was deficient and that U18 staff had poorly defined roles, underscoring broader lapses in preparation and supervision for a youth squad abroad.
- Two members of the U18 staff, fitness coach Robin Ladauge and former manager Stéphane Cambos, had already been sanctioned and placed under investigation for the same offense.
- The federation acknowledges organizational failings but rejects criminal liability, while Narjissi’s parents call the new status only a step and urge prosecutors to establish the full chain of responsibility.