When the affair broke out in 2017, Éric Pilaud, then president of the Grenoble Rugby club, could not hold back his tears during a press conference. He had dismissed the players, not for the rape of which they were accused, but for having damaged the image of the club. “I took my responsibilities while respecting the presumption of innocence. I did not fire them for that, but because they had damaged the image of the club and had not respected their employment contract, particularly in relation to nightlife. »
Seven and a half years later, the verdict is in: Denis Coulson, Loïck Jammes and Rory Grice are all three found guilty of gang rape and respectively sentenced to fourteen, fourteen and twelve years of imprisonment. Christopher Farrell was sentenced to four years, two of which were suspended, his sentence being modified to external placement with the wearing of an electronic bracelet. Dylan Hayes receives two years of probation.
Now in the United States but still a shareholder of the club, Éric Pilaud agreed to discuss what he calls “this terrible affair” for France Bleu Isère.
“I hope the world of rugby will react”
“I think first and foremost of the victim. I regret that she had to wait more than seven years before having a trial. I hope this will allow him to rebuild his life. Like when the affair broke out, I find it so creepy. It’s a huge waste, lives are being turned upside down. First that of the victim, first, of course, but also those of the players, their families. It's lamentable. Afterwards, I hope that the world of rugby will react because there are too many things happening there to say that it is just an accident. »
Éric Pilaud also advocates real preventive and educational work in rugby. “I think that when you live, every day, with 40 people, without any opening to the world, well that presents a risk! Because boys among themselves can be stupid! They have a relationship with women that is completely out of sync. We then go from slightly heavy-handed flirts to rapists. It's terrible. However, rugby is becoming professional. The players have nutritionists, physical and mental trainers, we cannot accept that they put themselves on the roof every weekend and that they lose the control and the decency that they must have, this is not not possible! »
“Yes, I know these players. I don't think they are repeat perverts. In a context of alcohol, of toxic masculinity, they made a huge mistake that shattered a victim's life and they are paying for it. I am a father, I have daughters and these stories of rape are terrible. Society really needs to wake up, we can no longer continue like this. I hope that this very gloomy affair will really make the rugby authorities react, so that at least something positive comes out of all this,” he finished.
