Overview

• Olivier Girault, former handball champion and director of the Union Nationale du Sport Scolaire (UNSS), was suspended by Education Minister Elisabeth Borne on February 10, 2025.
• The suspension follows an administrative investigation into allegations of financial mismanagement, including reports of luxurious expenses and conflicts of interest within the UNSS.
• A report by L'Équipe highlighted a controversial €5 million payment from Bahrain to the International School Sport Federation (ISF) for hosting the Gymnasiade, a global school sports event in October 2024.
• The Snep-FSU, a union of physical education teachers, criticized the Education Ministry's handling of the UNSS and withdrew from its board, citing inaction and lack of accountability.
• The UNSS, which oversees over 9,000 school sports associations and 1.2 million student members, is under the purview of the Education Ministry and primarily serves secondary schools.