“I will not come as a lecturer”

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While the electoral campaign for presidency of the FFR is coming to an end, each camp is trying to fire its last cartridges to make a difference in the polls on October 18 and 19. By far the most media-friendly of Didier Codorniou’s running mates, Guilhem Guirado has spoken little in recent weeks. The former captain chose At the time of Rugby to discuss this major milestone for French rugby, the challenge of his future role as head of the French teams if his side wins and to distil here and there some final tackles to the camp of outgoing president Florian Grill. Interview.

Actu : You have been rather discreet in this campaign. Was it a choice?

Guilhem Guirado: “Already, I always advocate collective work more than putting the individual forward. I am Didier’s first supporter and I have intervened alongside him on several occasions but I also warned him that I could not be of all the travel, due to my professional schedule (he manages an insurance agency in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Editor’s note. I’m here a little more these last few days because we are in the home stretch and that’s it). It is also now that many will make their decision for the vote.

Skirmishes with the Grill camp: “I was easy prey”

Have you not been burned by the few exchanges of arms in press releases between you and the camp of President Florian Grill?

GG: “I arrived on tiptoe. I discovered how a Steering Committee worked, I learned. But I am not a giver of lessons. Each time I spoke publicly, I was immediately taken care of by the governance Being the most well-known person on Didier’s list, I was easy prey. I certainly scared them of the fact that I have a certain legitimacy and an aura in rugby. French. What I suffered was regrettable. It’s so easy to want to settle scores on social networks, and it lacked tact and respect. I contained myself and did not respond to these attacks. Like what I was during my career, I’m not the type to hide and refuse the fight.”

How do you find this campaign, considered very calm compared to previous ones?

GG: “Didier advocated from the start his desire for a respectful campaign. He noticed that it got a little worse, he himself being targeted. It was obviously disturbing. We are never ready for that even if he knew the risks because it already happened like that the last time Rugby has become politicized, but it’s not really good for our sport itself.

A “change of gear” in the campaign

That’s to say ?

GG: “Didier had met Florian Grill a few months ago and there had been a commitment to campaign properly. And then it went a bit in all directions. We were therefore forced to change gear, without making any mistake. no matter what but by saying certain truths and certain principles which are disturbing. Even if I take a lot of pinches, there have also been cases which have taken place in recent weeks. We are not using it to campaign, but we are unfortunately. forced to talk about it.

Before the extra-sporting affairs of the summer, you had already been offensive, evoking “catastrophic” management and communication from Florian Grill…

GG: “I accept that the World Cup was not a complete financial success and that it did not bring in a lot of money for the FFR. But to make it a plan of attack to say that everything is going wrong, that we are going straight into the wall… There are plenty of partners around French rugby who have been worried and we have seen the consequences, notably with the withdrawal of the GMF, a historic partner of French rugby. For a long time everything is catastrophic, after a while you no longer make anyone want it. But for them it was absolutely necessary to dismantle what was done by the old governance and blacken the picture. perfect but there are also things to value. We have to remember where we come from.

Political recovery

Why did you and 15 other members of the opposition resign from the FFR Steering Committee?

GG: “This was a finality. The governance in place could not resolve everything in 15 months, I am aware of that, but it can also look in the mirror and see what did not work. When we noted it, it was political co-opting! So either we didn’t say anything and therefore it was of no use or we said we didn’t agree and we said we were negative and we were co-opting! politics. There is no discussion.

You also criticized the governance of having wanted to conceal the death by drowning of a young rugby player in Wallis and Futuna…

GG: “I am very reserved and modest about this tragedy, out of respect for the family. But it is necessary to say what happened. I agree that there was a mention of the death of this young person , but the circumstances are absolutely not mentioned in the minutes of the federal office. We were not aware of this. He was supposed to come for an internship in Montpellier with his team, but this was not possible because of the riots in Nouvelle. -Caledonia (where the plane was to transit). So they went to a rugby course in Wallis and Futuna, around a lake, and that’s where the drowning occurred. All this, we don’t know. We learned it only three months later. This is the purpose of the contempt towards us and all this information that we ask for and that we never have.

What is your view on the recent affairs which shook the XV of France and the FFR?

GG: “I was obviously saddened and disappointed. It caused a lot of noise and it tarnished the image of the institution, whether we like it or not. What is certain is that we will have to be very vigilant tomorrow on all gatherings of French teams. The framework must be well established.

“The image of the FFR above all else”

The French team had already experienced an extra-sporting affair in 2018 in Scotland, when you were captain…

GG: Yes it’s true. Players came out after the match, which was not my case because I was disappointed with our result, and there were stories. Sanctions had been taken even if it had not been published in the press and we had not seen certain players again in the following matches. I heard elected officials reproach me for things and say that we wanted to sweep the dust under the carpet, which made me laugh softly. Baptiste Serin was also criticized for things this summer, but I’m sorry, he may have been the captain of the tour but in no case does the captain have super powers or rights over others. His responsibilities are on the ground.

If Didier Codorniou wins on October 19, you will be responsible for ensuring the proper application of a framework for the French teams. How do you approach it?

GG: “It will be a very heavy burden that will have to be handled. As I said, I will not come as a lecturer and not with a magic wand either. We will have to listen to the people in place and ensure that there is also from management. What will matter to me first is that the image of the institution is above all else. Whoever wears the French team jersey represents it and must have integrity and pay attention to this. that he does.

Anthony TALLIEU

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