Even on the sidelines, Bernard Laporte, 59, has lost none of his verve or his self-esteem. In a long interview with Provence published this Wednesday, the former president of the FFR once again settles his accounts.
Laporte first expresses his bitterness at not having been invited for France – All Blacks, the opening match on September 8: “It’s a lack of elegance and respect. There, we really don’t follow the values of rugby. At the time, I was very upset, I, in fact, said it to the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. Now they want to rectify the situation. I still received invitation messages. But I won’t go. These people said they “want to appease and unite”, they are doing the opposite.”
“If we work like crazy, it’s thanks to you!” »
Artisan of the organization in France in 2017, Laporte consoles himself in his own way: “If, on match nights, the bars are full, if the audiences are very high and if the competition is a real success, I am for it something. I was able to attend the first two matches played in Marseille, when I went up the steps of the Vélodrome, people said “thank you” to me. The owner of a café thanked me, saying: “If we work like crazy, it’s thanks to you! » We call that elegance, the complete opposite of what they (the FFR) did by not inviting me to the inauguration of the World Cup. »
Forced to resign from his post as president in January 2023, after being convicted a month earlier for corruption – a sentence which he appealed – Laporte dumps Florian Grill, his successor, unceremoniously. The latter would not have invited Laporte, due to unpaid lawyer fees during the trial?
“Once again, he doesn’t know his file and he only criticizes,” argues Laporte. An agreement was signed from lawyer to lawyer. You also have to wait for the call. And then, I remind you that I was attacked in the course of my duties, so why should I pay? After the call, if I still get blamed for things, I will pay. Otherwise, I won’t pay, because, at this time, I don’t have to. »
“Today, French rugby is respected again”
On the other hand, Laporte readily claims paternity of the current French team: “I have the weakness to think that it is my team (smile). When I arrived as president of the FFR (in December 2016), the French XV was ranked 8th in the world rankings. He hardly won a match against the major nations. We put him back on the very first steps. Today, French rugby is respected again. He has regained his standing and it is thanks to my action. To some, this might seem pretentious, but it’s the truth and, personally, to see him again at such a level is a joy. »
Laporte prides himself in particular on being at the origin of the FFR-LNR convention which makes it possible to make internationals (42 in number per gathering) available for longer periods than in the past: “I had clearly seen that the National League had taken precedence over the Federation where everyone folded in front of the LNR through incompetence, because no one knew what the high level represented and what Philippe Saint-André demanded. It was therefore necessary to put the French team back at the center of the federal project. (…) If the Federation went from 106 to 140 million in budget, it is thanks to me, and as a volunteer. »
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