He declared himself after his two rivals but he intends to beat them to the post this Thursday in Dublin. Abdelatif Benazzi, the former second or third row of the Blues (56 years old, 78 caps), is running for the presidency of World Rugby, the international federation, whose election will take place in the Irish capital.
To do this, Benazzi, who joined the political orientation committee, the new management body of the FFR, after the re-election of Florian Grill on October 19 as president, will above all have to make up for lost time on the favorite, the Australian Brett Robinson, supported by the Englishman Bill Beaumont, the outgoing president.
The third contender in the running is the Italian Andrea Rinaldo. Only two French people have already held the position: Albert Ferrasse and Bernard Lapasset. Throughout his campaign, Abdelatif Benazzi hammered home his slogan: open the institution to more countries. Shake up conservatism too.
“World rugby is doing very badly,” explains Benazzi in an interview with AFP. We may have the impression during the World Cups that it is a global sport but in fact it only concerns a few major countries, present for 100 years, while few countries are emerging. And at the same time, these major countries are in financial difficulty, most having operating deficits of more than 10 million euros. There is an alert, the boat risks sinking. »
The former captain of the Blues suggests turning to regions often left in the shadows. “To attract investors, you have to open up to the world,” he adds. We must invest in certain countries even if it means receiving dividends in a few years. Today, 11 countries represent 70% of the voting rights in World Rugby, which contributes to conservatism. Spain and Portugal do not have the right to discuss. And 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). Conversely, we cannot put a quarter of the budget in North America, with the World Cup in the United States in 2031.”
Openness therefore, but also firmness. On current issues, Abdelatif Benazzi is indeed opposed to the new tested rule of the 20-minute red card. “A red card is a red card, there should be no confusion,” he insists. This can be a dangerous strategy for rugby, much more violent and that’s why we are completely against it. »
