Candidate for the presidency of World Rugby, Abdelatif Benazzi announces that he wants to change the rugby system by making it more open to developing countries, but also more attractive.
The former captain of the XV of France Abdelatif Benazzi, candidate for the presidency of World Rugby, wants to shake up the “conservatism» of the institution in “opening it» to more countries and giving France a central place again, he explained in an interview with AFP.
The former player with 78 caps is not satisfied with the state of rugby which sees “ Major countries are in financial difficulty, most having operating deficits of more than 10 million euros. There is an alert, the boat risks sinking.» Benazzi also highlights the too much importance given to certain countries, whether in terms of decisions but from an economic point of view. “The summer and fall tours are a bit outdated and are less profitable for nations, especially those in the South. The Nations Cup from 2026 (which must be organized every two years with the best teams from the northern and southern hemispheres, editor’s note) will be an innovative competition.»
Better distribution of decisions
Abdelatif Benazzi regrets the lack of joint decisions as well as the too much importance given to certain people. “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.» declares the former captain of the XV of France, who also wants rugby to open up more to Africa. “I don’t understand why we are hesitant with Africa, which will represent 40% of humanity in the future (in 2100 according to a UN report, editor’s note). 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.»
Finally, Benazzi wants to restore the image of France, which showed a very good showcase during the last World Cup. “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.»
World rugby, meeting in Dublin from Tuesday, elects its president for four years on Thursday. In addition to Benazzi, Australian Brett Robinson and Italian Andrea Rinaldo are in the running.
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