World Rugby – Benazzi: “Even France is excluded from certain decisions”

Marie Mahé, Media365, published on Monday November 11, 2024 at 3:40 p.m.

In an interview with AFP, Abdelatif Benazzi confided what he would change if he were elected president of World Rugby. This election is scheduled for this Thursday.

Abdelatif Benazzi obviously intends to make things happen. The former captain of the French XV is a candidate for the presidency of World Rugby. His idea would be to allow the institution to open up to more countries. This is what the main interested party confided this Monday during an interview given to theAFP : “Today 11 countries represent 70% of the voting rights in World Rugby, which contributes to conservatism. Some countries like Spain and Portugal do not have the right to discussion. They suffer. We tell them every four years 'You are here to qualify for the World Cup', but between World Cups, we do nothing (…). I don't understand why we are hesitant with Africa, which will represent 40% of humanity in the future (editor's note: in 2100 according to a UN report). Conversely, we cannot put a quarter of the budget in North America, with the World Cup in the United States in 2031, to the detriment of other regions.”

Benazzi: “We need to review current governance”

Still according to Benazzi, France must also be able to regain a more central place within this same institution: “Everyone tells us 'Did you see what you did at the World Cup? You are a great country'. We opened our doors in Marcoussis, we shared our values, our model is envied by many. We are pushed to make decisions, to be within this mandate (…). Even France, which is a major country, is excluded from certain decisions. We are on the World Rugby council but we are not in the executive office, but we have the impression that decisions are made there. I would like to give more power to the council.” While waiting to be able to hope to implement his program, Benazzi will have to obtain the necessary votes to become the new decision-maker of world rugby, for a period of four years. It is this Thursday, from near Dublin in Ireland, where this election will take place. Two other people are candidates for this position. They are the Australian Brett Robinson and the Italian Andrea Rinaldo.