In an interview with France 3, Jalil Narjissi pointed out the responsibility of the staff of the French under-18 team in the tragic disappearance of his son on August 7 in South Africa. He hopes that justice will be done.
The poignant tribute to their son paid by Stade Toulousain on Sunday evening before the match against Stade Rochelais did not ease their pain or their anger. In a moving testimony for France 3, filmed in the office of their lawyer, Maître Édouard Martial, Medhi Narjissi’s father, Jalil, had strong words to demand justice after his son disappeared at sea on August 7, while swimming on a dangerous beach in South Africa.
The former hooker for Castres and Agen points the finger at the responsibility of the management of the French under-18 team and demands accountability. “Now, those responsible must raise their hands, be judged and punished. That is what we are waiting for. We are preparing to fight so that the truth is known and so that people are punished. I helped the Federation to have clear and precise content in its report. They can pass the buck. Things are clear. We know the mistakes they made.”
Jalil Narjissi reiterates the negligence, even the incompetence, of the young players’ staff in organising a recovery session on an unsupervised beach despite warnings about the danger of rip currents. “There are signs all over the way to the beach, he emphasizes, he who went there to try to understand. The conditions were more extreme. Rain, storms, it was winter in South Africa. If there are not all the signs there… They are not blind. It is incompetence, unconsciousness. The physical trainer who tells you to go, but also the supervisors around him. No one opposed. There were several of them on the beach. There were 24 children aged 17 in the water. There are safety rules, supervision rules that were not respected.
The former professional player, very moved and just as determined, becomes even more accusatory when recalling the fatal moment when his son was swept out to sea. “No adult man went to help Medhi. I say it loud and clear: it’s cowardice! Most of them are fathers. If it had been their child, they would have been in the water.”
Twelve adults passed on the message “Don’t go there, it’s too dangerous”…
Master Edward Martial
A need for justice relayed by the family’s lawyer, Maître Édouard Martial, who wants a trial to be held. For him too, the fact that none of the supervisors tried to save the boy is intolerable. “They are the ones who say it, I am not making this up: “We decided not to go because we were aware of the danger.” That is to say, from one to the other, there are twelve of them, these adults have passed on the instructions “Don’t go there, it’s too dangerous.”..»
Also readRugby: first accounts from staff after young rugby player Medhi Narjissi disappeared at sea
The filing of the complaint led to the public prosecutor contacting an investigating judge. For a probable trial. “The trial will probably do some good, but, as I often say, the hearing is not the place for mourning. It is not the place where, all of a sudden, everything disappears. They must know that they will come out of there wounded, because they will hear people defend themselves.”warns Mr. Martial.
Jalil Narjissi nevertheless hopes that justice will be done. “I expect them to be tried, punished, dismissed from their positions, for life. For some, they must go to prison. This is not an accident, they provoked this.”
No one, no child, deserves to go like this. We will never accept it.
Jalil Narjissi
He also talks about the heartbreaking pre-match on Sunday evening at the Ernest-Wallon stadium. Long minutes of applause and tears, many tears, from his family, his parents Valérie and Jalil, as well as his sister, but also from his young teammates. “For us, it (the tribute) was something very strong in relation to what Medhi represents, for these people, his club, his teammates, the big Toulouse family who were there for Medhi.”
And to conclude, his face livid with sadness. “Our life stopped on August 7, we are surviving this catastrophe today. This moment did us good. Knowing that Medhi brightened up these people… He was appreciated by everyone as a 17-year-old boy who loves his sport, who loves life, who does not deserve to leave like that. No one, no child. We still have trouble accepting it and we will never accept it.”
” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >
