As part of the referral to the Paris Criminal Court, in September, of several personalities from the world of rugby, including Bernard Laporte, its president since 2016 (re-elected in 2020), the French Rugby Federation acted this Thursday during its committee director to bring civil action in order to have access to the file. Information from L’Équipe that we are able to confirm.
“The FFR can become a civil party in order to defend the interests and the image of the discipline, said Laurent Gabbanini, according to L’Équipe, the director general of the FFR. The fact of becoming a civil party demonstrates the normal functioning of our Federation which is independent and cannot be reduced to the person of its leaders. At this stage, the FFR has an interest in bringing a civil action mainly to have access to the file. It should be noted that the FFR has not received a notice to the victim from the PNF (national financial prosecutor’s office) and that it is not aware of any document in the file. This action will also allow the FFR to seek compensation for the damage suffered.
The elected officials of the federation validated this decision at 96%. The remaining 4% abstained. Bernard Laporte and Serge Simon, its vice-president, also referred to the Criminal Court, did not take part in this ballot. The Team adds that in his presentation, Laurent Gabbanini explained that Article L. 131-10 of the Sports Code allows “approved federations to exercise the rights granted to civil parties with regard to offenses causing damage directly or indirectly to the collective interests of their licensees and of the sports associations and societies which are their members”.
Go to the criminal court
Bernard Laporte is suspected of having put pressure in March 2017 on the appeal committee of the federation to reduce by 50,000 euros a fine imposed on the Montpellier club, chaired by the entrepreneur Mohed Altrad. The latter had just paid 150,000 euros to Bernard Laporte’s company for a lucrative image contract and services that the president of the FFR did not perform. Mohed Altrad also won the sponsorship of the XV of France jersey at a discount (6.8 million euros against 9.9 million offered to the historical partners of the Blues).
In the preliminary investigation opened by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) in 2017, four people had been placed in police custody: Bernard Laporte, Serge Simon, Nicolas Hourquet, head of international relations for the federation, and Claude Atcher, managing director. of the organizing committee of the 2023 World Cup, which will be organized in France next year. Claude Atcher and Benoît Rover, Claude Atcher’s partner in the company Score XV, will also have to answer for their actions before the Paris Criminal Court.
