The former international, who is running for the presidency of the French Rugby Federation, “totally disagrees with an immediate resumption” of the competition for the two rugby players charged with rape in Argentina.
Didier Codorniou, candidate for the presidency of the French rugby federation against the outgoing Florian Grill, told AFP on Wednesday that he hoped the federation “sanctions” the two players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jégou, charged with rape in Argentina. “There were two players who wore the French team jersey and who came home drunk at five in the morning. They must be punished, even if the punishment must be gradual” and this, whatever the legal outcome of the case, affirmed Codorniou during an interview with AFP.
Hugo Auradou’s return to the field with his Pau club on October 5 shows, according to him, that “the Federation is not up to the task”. Oscar Jégou has resumed training with his La Rochelle club, but no date for returning to competition has been mentioned. “I explained myself with the two presidents of Pau and La Rochelle to tell them that I totally disagree with an immediate resumption, and I would have liked the Federation to be able to sanction as it should”assured Mr. Codorniou.
The framework was not clear and a form of flexible framework was even admitted
Didier Codorniou
Without commenting on the legal aspect, Florian Grill for his part admitted not to have sanctioned the players for their night out, in the absence of precise rules for the tours of the XV of France. “The framework was not clear and a form of flexible framework was even admitted”he told AFP on Monday. He promised to “set a clear framework” between now and the next tour in November, “which will then allow sanctions to be imposed. And we will not have a hand that trembles” warned Mr. Grill.
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The boss of French rugby also affirmed that a return of the two players to the French XV was not possible as long as legal proceedings were underway. The Mendoza public prosecutor’s office, where the investigation into aggravated rape in Argentina is being carried out, has requested a dismissal of the case which will be studied at a hearing set for October 18.
During the same tour, Melvyn Jaminet, author of racist remarks broadcast in a video on his social networks, was sanctioned with 34 weeks of suspension by the FFR in the name of “attack on the best interests of rugby”. The sanction relates only to his comments and not for participation in the evening. “The brand of the French team has been tainted throughout this summer”in particular by the Auradou-Jegou affair, estimated Mr. Codorniou. The election for president of the FFR is scheduled for October 19.
