French Rugby Federation Faces Major Crisis
Strengthening Rules and Accountability in French Rugby
With a serious face, Florian Grill presented himself shortly before 11 a.m. in the auditorium of the French Rugby Federation, in Marcoussis. In front of around ten cameras and journalists, accompanied by his vice-president in charge of high level Jean-Marc Lhermet, the president of the FFR returned point by point to the terrible affair which has shaken French rugby for a week, and this “dramatic” tour of the XV of France in Argentina.
After having already dismissed one of its players, Melvyn Jaminet, who had filmed himself making racist remarks, the XV of France returned from Buenos Aires on Monday without two others of its own, Oscar Jegou (21 years old, 1 selection) and Hugo Auradou (20 years old, 1 selection), detained in Mendoza after their indictment for aggravated rape of a 39-year-old woman, accusations which they firmly deny.
Post-Match Incident and Legal Proceedings
Florian Grill and Jean-Marc Lhermet recalled that they were able to quickly see the two incriminated players in Buenos Aires, as did the staff of the French XV. Then Jegou and Auradou were transferred, “extremely tested” to Mendoza. If Florian Grill does not comment on the current legal proceedings (“we are neither judge nor investigator”) and does not comment on the version of the facts given by the complainant, damning for the players, he assures that the two rugby players “are eager to give their version of the facts.”
It could be today, through the voice of their lawyers, who must plead for the placement under house arrest of the two players. Florian Grill gave details of the judicial calendar. “They are in an intermediate, secure and dignified prison in Mendoza. They will try with their lawyers to be placed under house arrest, in a house to rent that we found. The time limit for this residency procedure is between 5 and 25 days. According to our information, the lawyers could plead this Tuesday. Then, for the trial to take place, it takes 9 to 14 months.”
Strengthening Rules and Accountability in French Rugby
If he cleared Fabien Galthié's staff of any responsibility in this sordid affair, Florian Grill nevertheless recognized a problem in the functioning of the XV of France. “We are going to change the rules,” he promised. “Yes, there will be a before and after Mendoza. We are going to change the rules but we do not want a vertical decision, we want to do it in consultation with the staff and players of the French teams. We understand that there is a need for a valve, but not to the point of going to these extremes, which are also incompatible with sporting performance. We will strengthen the approach in terms of awareness and sanctions. This is a survival issue for French rugby.”
Florian Grill promises “financial and also sporting sanctions which could go as far as the temporary or permanent exclusion of French teams”. “We won’t have a hand that shakes,” he promises. We want to put a lot more rigor into all that. When we are international, we make a certain number of commitments to the FFR. The framework is set, and when the framework is not respected, there are sanctions, and these sanctions could be very heavy.”
A Reflection of Society
Present in Argentina with the XV of France, who concluded their nightmare tour with a defeat against the Pumas, Florian Grill took stock again. In an interview with L'Equipe, the president of the FFR looks back on the last hours experienced by the Blues. “I hear the attacks from Didier Codorniou (in an interview given in our columns) and others who say that we have slipped as leaders,” says Florian Grill. “On the contrary. We have stopped hiding things under the carpet, notably with an anti-violence plan launched in June. In an unfortunately prescient editorial in Rugbymag (the FFR magazine), I said that there were real problems in our sport: cocaine which is everywhere in pro and amateur rugby, sexual violence, etc. There was no denial. I was the first to put words to the evils. They're blowing up in our faces today. As soon as I met Fabienne Bourdais, the Director of Sports at the ministry, I told her clearly that there were cocaine problems in rugby and that we could not hide behind our little finger. She had never heard things said so clearly. Unfortunately we are only a reflection of society.”
Various events which should allow French rugby to evolve. “There must be a before and an after,” insists Florian Grill. “It doesn't just concern the Fed but all of rugby and society, where cocaine is not an isolated fact. In February, we also set up a group on this subject with the LNR. We also need to look at excess drinking. A very serious incident was revealed for Melvyn Jaminet and he was punished immediately. For the other two (Oscar Jégou and Hugo Auradou), we will wait for justice to be done.”
