French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet is "taking a step back" from his duties and vice-president Philippe Diallo has been named acting interim chairman.
Le Graet has left his role just days after making dismissive comments about Zinedine Zidane.
A statement from FFF read: "Noel Le Graet, in agreement with the executive committee of the FFF meeting today [January 11] in Paris, has chosen to withdraw from his duties as president of the Federation until the final communication of the audit carried out by the Ministry of Sports, and awaiting its analysis by the Comex (executive committee) of the FFF
"The Comex of the FFF has also decided to lay off Florence Hardouin, general manager of the FFF, as a precautionary measure. As of today, Philippe Diallo, deputy vice-president of the FFF, will act as interim manager of these two functions."
Zidane had been strongly linked as a potential successor to Didier Deschamps, but Le Graet told radio station RMC he would not take a call from one of France's most decorated players and added: "I don't give a damn, he can go wherever he wants."
