Claude Atcher, the director general of the organizing committee of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, told AFP on Friday that he was “quietly” awaiting the results of the investigation by the Labor Inspectorate, seized on “worrying elements linked to the “social climate” within the body.
A month ago, The Team had recounted, in a long article, with great detail and testimonies, the “management by terror” put in place by Atcher and his chief of staff within the Public Interest Group (GIP) France 2023, against a background of burn- out, resignations and anxiety attacks.
“Disproportion” to reality
Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra immediately seized the Labor Inspectorate, which began its investigation at the GIP headquarters on June 24. The Ministry of Labor told AFP on Wednesday that the investigative work was “still in progress”, but that it did not communicate “on the procedures in progress”.
Asked about this by AFP on Friday, Claude Atcher replied that he was not going to “comment because there is such a disproportion in what is written (by The Team) compared to reality, and such a discrepancy between the current results of the organization of the World Cup and what is written”.
A second layer on his movements
“I am quietly awaiting the investigations that have been made and we will see clearly in a few weeks”, he added, on the sidelines of the inauguration at Lille-Flandres station of the first stage of the “France 2023 Rugby tour », which will see the William Webb Ellis trophy traveling by train for four months through the nine host cities of the 2023 World Cup (September 8 – October 28).
Since the publication of the survey of the sports daily, Claude Atcher had been very discreet, speaking very little to the press and not attending public events for which he was expected. He also did not comment on a new article from the teampublished on July 12 and according to which he would abuse the services of a VTC driver while he benefits from a company car included in his contract.