L‘Judicial information opened by the investigating judge Serge Rey for manslaughter as part of the disappearance at the Sea of Medhi Narjissi, on August 7, 2024 at the Cap de Bonne-Espérance, took a new turn this Tuesday April 15 with the placement in police custody at the Agen police station of the former manager of the U18, Stéphane Cambos.
In order to determine the degree of responsibilities in this drama, the police are based, among other things, on two reports: that of Jean-Marc Bédérède, manager of high performance within the French Rugby Federation (FFR), on behalf of the Federation, and that of the General Inspection of Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) engaged on September 4, which heard no less than 92 people. “Sud Ouest” was able to consult the two documents, along which a chronology of the drama emerges and, in filigree, its causes.
“We don’t train GIs. We don’t need extreme conditions ”
August 7 is “an off day” with passage to Boulders Penguin to picnic, then visit the Cape of Bonne-Espérance. On the planning validated by the staff is at the end of the afternoon, “care and recovery”, which would designate the hotel swimming pool. On Monday, August 4, during a meeting, another recovery place is mentioned by Robin Ladauge: the beach of Dias Beach. This choice asks Didier Lacroix, president of the Toulouse stadium, also civil party. In his hearing, he says his misunderstanding: “We do not lead to GIs. We don’t need extreme conditions. So why there? “A magical place”, justifies Robin Ladauge to Jean-Marc Bédérède. The preparer knows the place and even bathed there twice.
At the meeting of August 4, the tour operator, who meditated in the parking lot on the day of the drama, advises against it, arguing the dangers of the beach.
“A magical place”
However, on August 7, at 8:14 am, the physical trainer sends a message on the WhatsApp group of the selection: obligation of a cold water recovery session with two options “to choose from”, one on “a Cap de Bonne-Espérance beach”, the other in the hotel swimming pool.
During the journey, Stéphane Cambos would have expressed, according to him, his disagreement “three times” in Robin Ladauge about Dias Beach. The latter denies and indicates that it was agreed with his manager that he has recognized the security conditions while the group would visit the CAP lighthouse. No player or supervisor says he has witnessed this disagreement.
At 3 p.m., when the bus arrives at the Aplomb of Dias Beach, Robin Ladauge goes alone to the beach after having dropped the 200 steps that separate it from the parking lot. It has a combination and grabs a “rescue buoy” present on the scene. According to his statements, he says he did not see the signs – one at the start of the path, the other at the exit – notifying the dangers of swimming there. The players interviewed as well as the staff assure not having seen them either. Which surprises all observers.
24 players put themselves in water at 12 ° C with the instructions to have water as much as possible to the waist. But the session turns “swimming”
The physical trainer sends a new message to WhatsApp notifying favorable conditions, mentioning “somewhat solid waves” (a video attests to “the extent of the waves”). The message will never be distributed for lack of a network. Players and elements of the staff gradually come back from the lighthouse. Twenty-four players put themselves in water at 12 ° C with the instructions to have water as much as possible to the waist. But the session turns “swimming”, judges the Igesr. There are nine supervisors to the maximum, but none has a predetermined role. Only Robin Ladauge and the other physical trainer Axel Dupont mark a line not to be exceeded.
Five fat minutes
Stéphane Cambos would have arrived last on the beach. According to his version, he would have given “a shoulder” to Robin Ladauge due to an “improvised” session and “launched without his knowledge”. The physical trainer speaks of “a tackle with a smile”. He would have immediately reproached Stéphane Cambos his attitude, reminding him that he was watching young people.
The session was to initially last fifteen minutes. It is extended by five minutes. Five fatal minutes.
We know the rest. Medhi Narjissi is taken by a draft. The Rochelais stadium player Oscar Boutsez, having been swimming, goes to his rescue. He is the only one. He manages to put him on his back but “a wall of water of 5 to 6 meters”, he testifies, breaks where the duo is. Medhi Narjissi is carried away. It is “total panic” on the beach.
In the eyes of the Igesr, the trainer carries “the main responsibility” of the organization of the session, the manager that of “not having prevented it”.
