Rama Yade: France's Sport Overseer?

You read right. French President Nicolas Sarkozy done lost his mind, in his cabinet shakeup which is making big news in Europe. He's been itching to fire our girl, who is currently the French Secretary of State for Human Rights, for months because of the moderate-conservative's too competent at her job (1) outspokenness on Libya and China; and (2) defying his demand that she run for the European Parliament (she's a Euroskeptic, and recognized the "off to the hinterlands" move). However, she is one of France's most popular politicos - significantly more popular than he is - so the French Midget can't fire her like he did eight Cabinet folks. Instead, ol' boy punished her by sidelining her over to the Sports Ministry. Oh yeah, and eliminating the human rights position altogether.

Ms. Yade replaces Bernard Laporte, a former French national rugby coach whom Sarko fired, as French Secretary of State for Sport. Has she ever seriously played a sport? However, Ms. Yade is keeping a cool public image and trying to put a good spin on things. She said that her nomination as junior sports minister constitutes a “promotion” and an “immense honor” (article in French). “My skin is saved as I am still a member of the government”, she declared in a radio interview on Europe 1. “It is an immense honor given to me, that the president and the Prime Minister renewed their confidence in me while retaining me in the government”.

Ms. Yade added that she sees a linkage between her old job and new one (article in French): "I pass from one family to another but with the same values. Through sport, the Olympic family, the values which accompany sport are also those which accompany human rights”, she said, while mentioning the Iranian soccer team's recent stance on their country's situation.

She has already laid out her priorities for her new position, which she calls "a beautiful dossier", in a radio interview on Europe 1 (article in French): “Questions about handicapped athletes, of doping, sporting bets, the issue with infrastructure, and extraordinary events like the Tour de France cycling event and the next World Cup in football [i.e., soccer]”. She also noted that the Sports Ministry has a "true budget of almost 700 million euros", or $985.5 million.

There are issues like racism in European sport, girls' access to sports, and such. I'm sure (I hope) we haven't heard the last of this outspoken sister!