French rugby has been rocked by a series of extra-sporting affairs over the summer. First, Melvyn Jaminet was suspended for 34 weeks by the FFR for making racist remarks. During the tour in Argentina, Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou were accused of rape after a match between the French XV and the Pumas and the legal proceedings are still ongoing. Recently, Medhi Narjissi tragically disappeared at sea during a training camp in South Africa with the U18s.
A succession of sensitive issues that made us forget the sporting side of the oval ball, which resumes its rights next weekend with the return of the Top 14. Before the opening of the championship, the club captains participated in a special day where extra-sporting matters were put back on the table.
“Rugby players are facing the same problems as young people today, it is up to us to ensure through prevention and education that there are no cases like this,” said René Bouscatel, the president of the LNR. “We need, especially during tours, that there be much stricter and much more active supervision. I think that it is not very difficult to do given what happened in Argentina. We can only do better a priori. We must not allow players to bring girls to the players’ hotel.”
Ollivon: “There is a balance to be found”
On the players’ side, the speech is on the same line. RCT captain Charles Ollivon reminds us that rugby players remain “men, not machines”. “The goal is to find a balance, to be fairly fair on how each person will manage their personality, their efforts, their moments of relaxation. It’s difficult to ask the same thing for everyone. I’m not going to react the same way as you on certain subjects after a physical or mental effort. There are things to do, to work on.”
For his part, Gaël Fickou has more nuanced words, even if he condemns what happened off the field. “We always went out, we always partied, you have to know how to control yourself, control what you say and what you do. I have been playing in the national team for twelve years, we have been going out after matches for twelve years, and it has still gone pretty well for twelve years. Yes, there are excesses, the players who do it will be punished, and I will be the first if tomorrow I do something stupid like that. We must assume our responsibilities,” said the Racing 92 player, who calls for not abandoning “rugby culture”, made famous by the traditional third half. “It is part of rugby culture, we must keep it.”
After a dark summer for French rugby, Florian Grill brought together the different families in Marcoussis for a general meeting. 30 people from members of the FFR, LNR, unions (Provale, Tech XV, Apare, UCPR), amateur rugby, staff of the Blues or employees of the FFR, divided into six working groups to try to better supervise the tours.
- RMC Sport
