French rugby bosses tighten discipline after nightmare Argentina tour
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
France rugby players Hugo Auradou (left) and Oscar Jegou leaving the house in which they served house arrest in Mendoza, Argentina.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
PARIS – French Rugby Federation (FFR) president Florian Grill announced on Oct 7 an overhaul of the system of discipline in the France teams after a summer tour of Argentina was overshadowed by claims of attempted rape and racism.
“The historical pattern that existed for years, based on empowerment, accountability does not work,” Grill told AFP, revealing that “a plan, in which there will be controls and sanctions” will be unveiled in the coming days.
“The framework was not clear and a form of flexible structure was even admitted,” he explained of the approach until now.
“We are setting a clear framework which will then allow sanctions to be imposed. And we will not have a hand that trembles.”
In July, France players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, both 21, were charged with aggravated rape after winning their first international caps against Argentina.
The pair were arrested after a 39-year-old woman alleged they viciously assaulted her in a hotel room hours after defeating Los Pumas in Mendoza.
On the same night in July, fullback Melvyn Jaminet made racist remarks on social media. He was sent home from the three-match tour and received a 34-week suspension from the FFR.
On Oct 4, the prosecutor’s office in Mendoza recommended that the charges of aggravated rape against Auradou and Jegou be dismissed at a hearing set for Oct 18.
Grill said he “completely respects” the Argentine justice system and would not comment on the matter.
Auradou was whistled off the pitch on Oct 5 in his first match since the incident, when his Pau team lost 11-10 to Perpignan in a French Top 14 match.
“As long as he’s presumed innocent, I don’t see why he can’t play again,” said long-time Perpignan season-ticket holder Robert, who gave only his first name.
“Nothing stops him from doing his job and his job is to play rugby.”
Grill, meanwhile, said that he wanted to put an end to “the fourth and fifth half” post-match celebrations which had preceded these cases.
“There will be financial or sporting sanctions” in the future, he continued, regretting in previous years “a form of acceptance of these excesses which could sometimes even be organised”.
“We can’t imagine that we’re doing ultra-elaborate nutrition, personalised hydration for each player, data you don’t want to know, and that at the same time, we can, in the middle of a tour, do a fourth or fifth half,” he explained.
The details of this plan, which notably includes an overhaul of the international players’ charter, should be announced in the coming days.
“We cannot take all the positives from rugby, ask brands and partners to associate their image with our presupposed values and not respect them,” he added.
Meanwhile, Les Bleus’ star player and French Olympic rugby sevens gold medallist Antoine Dupont returned to club training on Oct 7 with an eye on playing his first game of the season for Toulouse on Oct 12.
The scrum-half’s return comes a month before France’s 15-a-side team open their November Test Series against Japan on Nov 9, before facing New Zealand a week later and Argentina on Nov 22.
The 27-year-old will not return to sevens this season but has refused to rule out an appearance at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. AFP
