Layec quits as general manager of French elite referees

It is a departure that will make noise. After nine years at the Technical Direction of the Refereeing (DTA), Bertrand Layec decided to leave his functions. An essential figure in the Batta era, of which he is still a faithful, Bertrand Layec recently left his position as general manager of the French elite referees. Hired in 2009 by Jean-Pierre Escalettes, then President of the FFF, Layec has often crystallized tensions and criticism, some seeing him as a dictator, but who has developed the elite referees with whom he had good relationships. His departure from the DTA is explained in particular by the cold relations he had with Pascal Garibian, the Technical Director of Refereeing. A similar situation occurred between Layec and Alain Sars, current Deputy Technical Director of Refereeing, to which Layec no longer speaks for several years, being upset with Sars for his media interventions at the time.

While still holding the whistle in Ligue 1 during the 2008/2009 season, Bertrand Layec was found guilty of defamation and public insults against Bruno Derrien by the Criminal Court of Paris. Layec was accused of forwarding an anonymous email that was violently attacking Bruno Derrien, following the release of Bruno Derrien's book “A bas l’arbitre”, in which Bertrand Layec is quoted several times. While he was announced as possible successor of Eric Poulat at the position of Regional Technical Advisor of Refereeing (CTRA) in the Ligue de Bretagne, a function he had already occupied in the past, Bertrand Layec will not return to his region. A foreign federation could acquire his services.

Source: Arbitage57