The small world of French rugby had not slept for weeks. The decision of the Paris Criminal Court fell on Tuesday: Bernard Laporte was sentenced to two years in prison suspended and 75,000 euros fine. The president of the FFR since December 2016 was found guilty of having rendered a series of arbitrations for the benefit of Mohed Altrad, after having received from the latter 180,000 euros in March 2017, according to a secret image contract and never performed.
The businessman, CEO of the eponymous construction giant, was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended and 50,000 euros fine. In this case, Laporte was found guilty of five of the six offenses for which he was prosecuted, including passive bribery and influence peddling. But he can remain at the helm of French rugby, which raises many questions.
A call that allows Bernard Laporte to continue to lead the Federation
The Paris Criminal Court has pronounced a ban on exercising at the head of the FFR for two years. However, the former coach of the Blues can remain president because this additional sentence is not enforceable, and the appeal immediately announced by Laporte allows his suspension.
Inevitably, the federal office “takes note” of this decision, as well as the release of Serge Simon, the number 2 of the FFR. In a press release published late Tuesday afternoon, he said he was “determined to maintain his commitment to the benefit of French rugby”. “Our institution needs stability, continues the text. And this especially on the eve of an event of fundamental importance for the future of our sport, the 2023 World Cup organized in France. »
There is therefore no question for the pro-Laporte supporters of letting go of their leader, as Jacky Courrent had indicated a little earlier to 20 minutes. “We keep our president, blew Chairman of the Rugby Schools Committee and member of the steering committee of the FFR. It’s important that he can continue, and that we can continue our actions, because everything we’ve been doing for rugby for the past six years must not fall into the water overnight. It must be concretized at least until the World Cup. “The time of justice being what it is, the appeal trial will surely not take place before the World Cup scheduled in France from September 8 to October 28, 2023.
The opposition calls for the resignation of Laporte and the steering committee
Florian Grill had been narrowly beaten in the last federal elections, in October 2020, in a deleterious climate which has not really improved since (48.53% of the votes of amateur clubs against 51.47% for Laporte). On behalf of the opposition movement Ovale Ensemble, the president of the Ile-de-France League “clearly calls for the resignation of the steering committee to allow the clubs to speak” with 20 minutes.
“This is an unprecedented conviction in French rugby, we have never seen that. Even if there is appeal, it is sufficiently devastating that we cannot pretend that nothing has happened. A resignation from the steering committee is the only way to appease French rugby before bringing it together as the World Cup approaches. Bringing such a sentence during the eight months preceding such an event, without going through a re-legitimation by the clubs, would be extremely difficult, even if there is an appeal. »
The Minister of Sports also wants new elections at the FFR
“The FFR is very well seen at the ministry, asserted Jacky Courrent this Tuesday afternoon. In addition to the results of the XV of France which are the most beautiful showcase, the work that is done behind is monstrous, and the ministry is aware of it. Indeed, at the end of a press release published a little later, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra detailed the “advances” obtained under Laporte’s mandate, “which deserve to be underlined”.
But before, the tone was much less positive. “In terms of good governance, the Minister considers that this new context prevents Bernard Laporte from being able, as it stands, to continue his mission under good conditions at the head of a Federation delegated to a public service mission. , at a moment as decisive for French rugby as the home stretch before a Rugby World Cup where France will host nations from around the world. »
Result ? “The Minister therefore calls for a new democratic era to allow French rugby as quickly as possible to start again on sufficiently healthy and solid bases, with a governance of the Federation which will have the full confidence of the clubs and will be able to bring people together. Clearly, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra hopes for new elections to the FFR, like Florian Grill and the federal opposition.
Only, she does not have the power to dismiss the president of a Federation and says she is “attached, within a clear ethical and governance framework, to the principle of autonomy of federations and to its respect”. “It is therefore up to the authorities of the Federation that it is now up to them to take up their responsibilities. However, the leaders of the FFR seem determined not to change anything before the appeal trial.
What impact for the XV of France?
Launched on a historic series of 13 victories in a row, the Blues carry around with a label of favorites at “their” World Cup that nothing more seems to have to take off. Not even the “brothel” at the head of the Fed? “I don’t think it will affect the France team”, asserts Jacky Courrent, for the current Pro-Laporte. “The steering committee must take its responsibilities to preserve the XV of France and the World Cup, repeats Florian Grill for his part. Things need to change. »
The press release from the federal office does not really lean in this direction, which can only reassure Fabien Galthié, very close to Laporte since his years as a player, when he was the captain of the Blues trained by the current boss of the FFR. “For 20 years, my destiny has been linked to that of Bernard (Laporte)”, thus recalled the sorcerer from Lot in Noon Olympic in September 2020three weeks before the federal elections narrowly won by the incumbent president.
What about the influence of French rugby on a global scale?
Since 2020, Bernard Laporte has held the vice-presidency of World Rugby, the oval equivalent of FIFA, behind the Englishman Bill Beaumont, in office until 2024. And the Frenchman appears to many observers as the designated successor of Beaumont, while he has skilfully been able to weave a beautiful network for years, well helped by Claude Atcher. Except that the big boss of the 2023 World Cup has “fallen” since, even if he benefited from a release on Tuesday in the complex Laporte-Altrad file for the acts of concealment of breach of trust which he was accused of.
Could Laporte’s legal worries further weaken his planetary ambitions? Imminent response. “World Rugby takes note of the decision of the French courts to condemn the president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and vice-president of World Rugby, Bernard Laporte, for accusations of corruption which concern national matters”, indicated the instance in a press release on Tuesday. In the evening, the international federation announced that he withdrew “temporarily and voluntarily” “with immediate effect” from his duties, following a meeting of the Executive Committee. If the boss of French rugby obtained a reprieve on Tuesday, he is certainly not out of the woods.