To justify their resignation, this Tuesday, October 1, sixteen members of the FFR steering committee mention, in particular, the fact of not having been warned of the accidental death by drowning of a young rugby player, in May 2024, on the island from Futuna. What exactly is it?
This is a new case of drowning of a young player which is shaking up the FFR and its steering committee, less than three weeks before the election to the presidency of the Federation. In a letter announcing their resignations, sixteen so-called “opposition” members justify them in particular by the drowning of a young rugby player, Jessop, aged 13, on May 22, 2024 on the island of Futuna as part of of a course visibly organized by his club but without us currently knowing whether the activity was truly linked to rugby. This disappearance remains no less dramatic.
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FFR – Sixteen members of the opposition resign from the steering committee and explain themselves in a letter
More specifically, the “resigners” regret the fact of having been kept away from this subject. “This sad information reached you immediately after the tragedy but you did not share it with the sovereign body of the FFR, the steering committee of which we are a part, as if the death of one of our children was not a matter of our responsibility.” However, several elements indicate that the steering committee had indeed been kept informed of this tragic disappearance.
Whistleblower…and resigned
For the informal nature, President Florian Grill was alerted on the night of May 22 to 23, 2024 of the death of young Jossep, by email. The bearer of bad news was none other than Etuato Mulikihaamea, himself a member of the opposition on the steering committee and who was among those who resigned on Tuesday October 1st.
Grill, in the morning, responded with his condolences, then the request: “keep us informed”. A response to which are associated, in copy of the email, several federal representatives on the archipelago as well as Sylvain Deroeux (general secretary of the FFR), Virginie Deprince (deputy general secretary) but also Laeticia Pachoud, vice-president of the FFR in in charge of the C3PR (Cell for the prevention and protection of rugby populations), itself a member of the opposition on the steering committee (she has not resigned). Writings that undermine accusations of sidelining.
A tribute in the federal office the next day
Another trace of the subject in federal writings, accessible on the website of the body and which we were able to consult: the same day (May 22 and 23) a federal office was held in Paris bringing together Florian Grill’s relatives. At the opening of his minutes, we can read: “As a preamble to the agenda, Florian Grill would like to pay tribute to the young Futuna player who recently passed away and would like to provide his support to the family, loved ones and his club”.
The steering committee took note of this report and ratified it three weeks later, on Friday June 14. Where we can read: “The Steering Committee approves the minutes of the Federal Office of May 22 and 23, 2024 by a majority (19 for, 8 against).” Among the signatories, we find in particular seven opposition figures who, today, resign (Patrick Buisson, Antoine Martinez, Marie-Agnès Masdieu, André Prigent, Marie-Pierre Pagès, Michel Macary, Patrice Dumoulin).
