French Rugby Federation president Florian Grill revealed on Monday that French rugby players Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou had been arrested in Argentina on suspicion of sexual assault while on tour in South America.
This report follows Argentina’s defeat against France 28–13 in Mendoza last weekend. On Wednesday, the team is scheduled to play Uruguay in Montevideo. On Saturday, they will play Argentina again in Buenos Aires.
The encounter against the Pumas began on Saturday with openside flanker Jegou and lock Auradou both making their senior international debuts. In response to questions about the players’ identities, Grill said at an Argentine press conference: “Jegou and Auradou are the names that appeared in the Argentine press.
“An investigation is still going on. After arriving from Paris, Jean-Marc (Lhermet, FFR vice-president) and I have taken off. The implications are grave if the facts are verified.”
Grill was quoted as saying; “I’m short on information. I am unable to disclose what happened. An investigation is now in progress… It is a police station where they are. To bring them some food, a visitor went to visit them. We intend to make an effort to see them again in the future.”
Misconduct allegedly by Auradou and Jegou, two debut players
The players have not responded to requests for comment from Reuters. Neither of the players nor their attorneys have released any remarks yet.
In a post on X, French Minister of Sports Amelie Oudea-Castera stressed the seriousness of the incident, saying that if the inquiry validates the reported facts, they would represent an unimaginable atrocity.
“The victim is in our thoughts and prayers. Florian Grill, whose sentiments and words of wisdom we all share this morning, is greatly appreciated. Our embassy in the federation is still in contact with me.”
Organisers of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France said police raided their offices Wednesday as part of a legal probe into the management of the competition under former chief executive Claude Atcher.
Atcher was sacked as head of France-2023 last month after an internal investigation reported “alarming managerial practices” amid allegations of bullying and harassment from staff.
The national financial crimes prosecutor’s office confirmed Wednesday for the first time that it had opened an investigation into possible favouritism, corruption and influence-peddling at France-2023, which is structured as a public-interest group.
The probe followed a referral from auditors at the finance and sports ministries, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement that confirmed raids were underway at different locations.
Statements about the Rugby World Cup raid
“This intervention follows on the inquiry of the finance inspectors, tasked by the government this summer with verifying the management of the organising committee units,” France-2023 said in a statement, adding that it would not comment further for the time being.
France’s sports daily L’Equipe said investigators were looking into the misuse of personal expenses, “certain contracts in the past and also alleged irregularities linked to the ticketing system for the 2023 World Cup.”
Atcher’s suspension was prompted by the preliminary findings of a Labour Inspectorate investigation launched at the end of June, after L’Equipe reported accusations of his “management by terror.”
Atcher’s deputy Julien Collette took over from him as chief executive.
The Rugby World Cup kicks off on September 8 next year with hosts France playing New Zealand at the Stade de France.
The final is scheduled for October 28.
The dysfunctions in the World Cup organising committee are an unwelcome embarrassment for France as it prepares to host the Olympics in 2024.
In September, French prosecutors demanded prison time for Bernard Laporte, head of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and a former sports minister, on charges of corruption and influence-peddling.
At the same trial prosecutors called for Atcher to receive a two year prison sentence, with one suspended.
The charges relate to business deals struck with Mohed Altrad, the billionaire businessman and owner of Top 14 champions Montpellier, including a contract to put Altrad’s corporate logo on the French national team’s jerseys.
Laporte denied the claims during the trial that closed for deliberation in September, with a ruling still awaited.
French rugby was reeling Tuesday after federation president Bernard Laporte received a two-year suspended prison sentence on corruption charges just nine months before France hosts the sport’s World Cup.
Laporte, 58, was convicted after a French court ruled he showed favouritism in awarding a shirt sponsorship contract for the national side to Mohed Altrad, the billionaire owner of Top 14 champions Montpellier.
He was also banned from holding any rugby post for two years, but this is suspended pending an appeal which Laporte’s lawyer said was imminent.
Laporte, however, later stepped down from his role as vice-chairman of the sport’s global governing body, World Rugby, pending a review by the body’s ethics officer.
“World Rugby notes the decision by World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte to self-suspend from all positions held within its governance structures with immediate effect following his conviction by the French court in relation to domestic matters, and pending his appeal,” World Rugby said.
“While acknowledging Laporte’s self-suspension and right of appeal, given the serious nature of the verdict World Rugby’s Executive Committee has referred the matter to its independent ethics officer for review in accordance with its integrity code,” it added.
Earthquake for rugby
Laporte faces problems on the domestic front, too, with Florian Grill, who narrowly lost to him in the 2020 election for federation chief, calling for Laporte and the entire board to stand down.
“It is unheard of in rugby, this is an earthquake,” Grill told AFP.
“We have never before seen a president of the federation condemned to two years in prison, even if it suspended.
“We think the 40 members of the board of directors should draw the obvious conclusions and resign.”
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said the sentence was an “obstacle for Bernard Laporte to be able, as it stands, to continue his mission in good conditions” as federation president.
Oudea-Castera called for a “new democratic era to allow French rugby to rebound as quickly as possible and sufficiently healthy and solid, with a governance by the federation that will have the full confidence of the clubs”.
The court found that Laporte ensured a series of marketing decisions favourable to Altrad — who was given an 18-month suspended sentence and 50,000 euro fine — in exchange for a 180,000 euro ($191,000) image licensing contract that was never actually carried out.
Altrad’s lawyer said he would study the decision before deciding on whether to appeal.
At the trial’s close in September, prosecutors said they were seeking a three-year prison sentence for Laporte, of which he should serve one behind bars, and the two others on probation.
The friendship and business links between Laporte and Altrad are at the heart of the case.
It goes back to February 2017, when they signed a deal under which Laporte agreed to appear at Altrad group conferences, and sold his image reproduction rights, in return for 180,000 euros.
But while that sum was paid to Laporte, prosecutors claim that he never actually provided the services he signed up for.
Suspect deals
Laporte did, however, make several public statements backing Altrad and, in March 2017, signed the 1.8-million-euro deal with the businessman making his namesake firm the first-ever sponsor to appear on the French national team’s jerseys.
Even now, Altrad’s logo features on the shirts thanks to a follow-up deal negotiated by Laporte in 2018 and which prosecutors say bears all the hallmarks of corruption.
Laporte, formerly a highly successful coach who guided France twice to the World Cup semi-finals (2003 and 2007), was also found guilty of favouritism with regards to Altrad’s Montpellier Herault Rugby (MHR) club.
He was convicted for intervening with French rugby’s federal disciplinary commission to reduce a fine against MHR to 20,000 euros — it was originally 70,000 euros — after several telephone calls from Laporte.
While prosecutors saw this and several more incidents as proof of illicit favouritism, Laporte himself had claimed there was no “cause-effect relationship”.
On the last day of the trial in October, Laporte’s lawyer Fanny Colin accused the prosecution of “confirmation bias” by “taking into account only elements backing their original assumptions”.
The verdict comes only nine months before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in France on September 8, 2023, with matches played in nine stadiums across the country.
French football chief Noel Le Graet could face criminal proceedings after a claim of a “sexist outrage” was made against him, Le Monde reported on Saturday.
The report was submitted to the Paris public prosecutor following testimony from Sonia Souid, an agent for several French internationals, during an audit of the French Football Federation (FFF).
Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said she had been informed by the head of the auditing body that a report had been made in accordance with the criminal code.
Le Graet, 81, was forced to step down last week until the completion of the audit.
In a statement to AFP on Saturday, he said he was stunned by leaks to the media.
“I have just read with astonishment an article in Le Monde reporting leaks in the provisional audit report being prepared,” he said in a statement.
“At this stage I know neither the facts of which I am accused nor the people who are behind them.
“More generally, I am surprised that information can be disclosed even though the interim report has not yet been sent to me and I have not been able to submit my observations.”
During interviews with sports daily L’Equipe and broadcaster RMC, Souid accused Le Graet of unwanted sexual advances, claiming she felt “the only thing that interested him, and I apologise for speaking vulgarly, are my breasts and my ass”.
In French law, “sexist outrage” refers to a statement or behaviour with a sexual or sexist connotation which undermines a person’s dignity or exposes him or her to a distressing situation.
The offence can be punished with a fine of up to 750 euros.
Le Graet, in charge of the FFF since 2011 and with a mandate due to run until 2024, had faced calls to resign after what he admitted were “clumsy remarks” about Zinedine Zidane’s potential interest in coaching the French national team.
He had said “wouldn’t even have taken his call” when asked whether Zidane, a World Cup winner as a player and an all-time France great, had rung him to express an interest in taking over as coach from Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps, who led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and oversaw their run to last month’s final which they lost on penalties to Argentina, last week signed a new contract to stay as France coach until 2026.
Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Qatar for the World Cup early on Thursday, just hours after a 5-0 warm-up victory, while defending champions France have also touched down in Doha.
Messi, 35, has a sackful of trophies but the tournament in Qatar is likely to be his final chance to equal the achievement of fellow Argentine great Diego Maradona in leading his country to World Cup glory.
He landed with the Argentina squad in the Qatari capital Doha at 2:30am (2330 GMT, Wednesday) from Abu Dhabi where they had beaten the United Arab Emirates 5-0 Wednesday in a friendly in which Messi scored.
One of the favourites going into this year’s World Cup, the South Americans will begin their campaign on Tuesday against Saudi Arabia in Group C, which also includes Mexico and Poland.
The 1978 and 1986 World Cup winners extended their unbeaten run to 36 matches as Messi scored his 91st international goal.
Messi was cautious about the team’s chances in Qatar, even though they are among the favourites.
“We have a very nice group that is very eager, but we think about going little by little. We know that World Cup groups are not easy,” the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner said in an interview with CONMEBOL, the South American football federation.
Champions arrive
France arrived in Doha on Wednesday, seeking to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.
Ten members of the 2018 title-winning squad are in the squad, including captain Hugo Lloris, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
But the defending champions, grouped with Australia, Denmark and Tunisia, are without first-choice midfield pair Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.
Image of Paul Pogba, from Wikipedia.
Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who has missed a series of games for Real Madrid this season because of injury, is set for his first World Cup appearance since 2014.
The United States return to football’s top table after an eight-year absence and Christian Pulisic says this World Cup is an opportunity to change global perceptions of American soccer.
“That’s what we’re here to do,” Pulisic told AFP. “Maybe it hasn’t been the top sport or whatever back in the States.
“But we want to change the way that the world sees American soccer. That’s one of our goals.”
The build-up to the tournament in Qatar has been dominated by concerns over Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community.
Pleas from football’s world governing body FIFA for a switch of focus to football have gone unheeded by some countries.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said on Wednesday supporters boycotting the tournament were “right to do that” but hoped his team would do enough to persuade fans at home to follow them from afar.
“I hope that we play so fantastic that at the end of the tournament when we play the final they shall look on television and see how good we are.”
The veteran coach hit out at FIFA earlier this year, calling its decision to award Qatar the World Cup “ridiculous”.
“I think you have to play in football countries. (They have) more experience with everything,” he said on Wednesday.
‘Fake fans’ row
England supporters from India outnumbered fans from England nearly 10 to one as Gareth Southgate’s team rolled into their World Cup base on Tuesday.
The supporters said they were angered by reports in the British and French media that they were “fake fans”.
Sajidh, 29, said Indian football fans in Qatar had been “outraged” by reports suggesting they had been paid to wear the shirts of World Cup nations.
“It is purely fake news and I would like to say loud and clear that none of us have been paid in any way,” added Sajidh, who gave only one name.
“We are diehard England fans.”
World Cup organisers weighed in on the issue on Wednesday, saying supporters from across the world had contributed to the local atmosphere.
“Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have questioned whether these are ‘real’ fans,” they said in a statement.
“We thoroughly reject these assertions, which are both disappointing and unsurprising.”
During a Tuesday audience at the presidential palace, Spain’s acting prime minister enthusiastically praised the victorious Women’s World Cup champions. The praise was quickly followed by a sharp rebuke as he criticized the president of the Spanish soccer association for his unwanted lip-lock with a team member, emphasizing how crucial it is to respect permission. This striking contrast serves as a reminder of the need to celebrate success and uphold proper behavior, having an impact beyond the world of sports.
Prime Minister Sánchez intends to present the squad with the coveted golden medal of athletic excellence as a way of honouring Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory. A momentous event occurred with the 1-0 triumph over England in Sydney.
Despite Sánchez’s dedication to gender equality, there was controversy at the awarding of the medals when Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Soccer Federation, gave player Jenni Hermoso a contentious kiss, detracting from the festive mood.
Following his assertion that those who disapproved of his kiss were “idiots and stupid people,” also Rubiales was forced to say sorry. an article from USA Today shared.
After a forced kiss, there was immediate and widespread indignation in Spain and internationally. Yolanda Diaz, the deputy prime minister, was blunt in her criticism of Rubiales’ behavior, calling it harassment and abuse and calling for his resignation.
Spain’s classification of the incident
Photo: Instagram / elDiario
It was classified as sexual assault by the nation’s equality minister, and new rules against such violence may apply to the occurrence. Rubiales kissed Hermoso without asking permission, grabbing her face first, which could now be prosecuted in court as a criminal.
Rubiales caused new controversy by making a dubious crotch gesture after Spain’s victory.
Princess Infanta Sofia, age 16, and Queen Letizia of Spain were in attendance as this occurrence took place.
The main opposition group in the nation harshly criticized Rubiales’ actions.
In the aftermath, Rubiales loses the backing of influential public and political figures.
His seclusion signals a significant change in his position and how the public views him.
Sánchez emphasizes the independence of the Spanish football federation from governmental interference amid the discussion around Rubiales’ future. Sánchez also emphasizes the significance of Rubiales’ real and effective apologies. Hermoso, meantime, politely avoids discussing the incident during the recent celebrations in the capital.
“We’re world champions, aren’t we?” she said. “Right now I think it’s too much.” an article from USA Today shared.
Players and staff were met by a raucous throng of thousands in Madrid on a Monday after a grueling 20-hour journey from Sydney. The extended welcome party, which went into midnight, erased the trip exhaustion by injecting a flood of exhilaration.
