French Rugby is going through a troubled period, legally speaking. After the racist insults of Melvyn Jaminet, then the accusations of rape against Hugo Ouradou and Oscar Jegou, a case in which the Argentine justice system has just requested a dismissal of the case, this sport with such a noble image is once again damaged by a tragic accident.
On August 7, the French under-18 team had a recovery session in South Africa. For this, the staff had planned to have their players swim in the sea near the Cape of Good Hope. Among the rugby players taking part in this essential exercise for good oxygenation of the body, we found the very young Mehdi Narjissi. Trained in Agen, he was at that time one of the greatest hopes of the best French club, even in Europe, Stade Toulousain.
The player joins his teammates in the water and finds himself in an area where the current is stronger. He would then have been carried away despite the vain attempt of his teammate Oscar Boutez to hold on to him. The alerts from the Bleuets support team and the arrival of the guards will not change anything. The young man is missing. To date, his body has not been found.
Mehdi Narjissi’s family wonders about the conditions of his disappearance
Today, a fight begins, far from the field, for the family of Mehdi Narjissi. The legal battle begins, to shed light on this tragic disappearance. “We are in a legal fight even though Medhi didn’t like problems. He respected everyone, and today, the people he respected don’t respect him.”summarizes Inès Narjissi, Mehdi’s sister, at Parisian.
But beyond the legal aspect, the victim’s family also wonders about the circumstances of his disappearance. “It’s not tolerable to lose a child. But in these conditions, while eight or nine adults watch idly as Oscar tries to save Medhi in four or five meter waves. Unfortunately, Medhi gave up,” laments his mother, Valérie.
Given that the body is missing, that no autopsy could be carried out, all hypotheses remain open, leaving the parents prey to an unbearable doubt… A tiny hope, however, remains, represented by these words released by the bruised mother… “I dare to hope that he was knocked out”, she concluded. Words to try to sweep away a fear, that his son could have suffered.
On the Federation side, we are passing the buck. According to a report, the fitness trainer was behind the decision to go swimming, against the advice of the manager. “A kid (Oscar Boutez) reacted like that and no one did anything about it. He managed on his own. Maybe they could have helped Oscar bring Medhi back? Even if they are sanctioned, it will not change anything. We cannot forgive the unacceptable. Medhi went into the water because a fitness trainer had this idea and we lost him for that” reports the mother.
The father of the international hopeful, himself a former Agen player, does not hide his sadness tinged with strong resentment. “Rugby gave me everything and now it took everything from me. I don’t want to hear about rugby anymore.”he says. “The big rugby family is windy. It’s every man for himself, that’s all.”
