Bernard Laporte, president of the French Rugby Federation, and the businessman Mohed Altrad, president of the Montpellier Hérault Rugby, were sentenced on Tuesday by the Paris Criminal Court for a corruption pact.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
The National Rugby League (LNR) called in a Communicated , Thursday, December 15, in the holding of new elections to the French Rugby Federation (FFR), whose president, Bernard Laporte, was sentenced Tuesday to two years from suspended prison – decision he appealed. “Faced with this unprecedented situation which weakens the institution, and after consultation of the presidents of Top 14 and Pro D2, the LNR office considers that it is advisable to bring the appeasement within French rugby through the organization By the FFR of new elections, as the Minister of Sports requests, “wrote the LNR.
“This approach will allow the designated governance at the end of these elections to advance serenely towards the major deadlines that arise in French rugby”, can also be read in the press release while France will organize the Cup of Rugby world next year (from September 8 to October 28).
non -executive convictions
Bernard Laporte and the businessman Mohed Altrad, president of the Montpellier rugby club, were sentenced by the Paris Criminal Court for a corruption pact linked in particular to the sponsorship of the XV jersey of France. In office since the end of 2016, the president of the FFR was found guilty of five of the six offenses for which he was prosecuted, including passive corruption and influence traffic.
m. Laporte having appealed the decision, the suspended prison sentence as well as the prohibition to exercise the activity of president of the FFR for a period of two years are not immediately enforceable.
The Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castera, had however called on Tuesday to “a new democratic time to allow as quickly as possible in French rugby to start on sufficiently healthy and solid bases”.
“This new context hinders that Bernard Laporte can, as it stands, continue his mission in good conditions at the head of a delegated federation of a public service mission, at a time as decisive for French rugby that the final stretch before a rugby world cup where France will receive nations around the world, “she said.