With the approach of the World Cup, the setbacks of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) do not seem to end. The Ministries of Sports and of the Economy and Finance confirmed on Wednesday, February 22, to trigger a double mission of budgetary and financial control targeting the French Rugby Federation (FFR).
This double audit follows a report sent to the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, at the end of January, about suspicious contracts made by the FFR, reveals L’Equipe. The nature and amounts of these contracts suspected of irregularity are not yet known.
Following the reports sent to Ms. Oudéa Castéra, the Ministry of Sports had decided in the wake, on February 3, to seize the General Directorate for Competition and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), and had raised the possibility of triggering jointly with the Ministry of Finance a mission of budgetary control of the federation, which has therefore been done.
Stormy context
The conclusions of the control mission are expected in June, three months before the launch of the World Cup in September. This new financial audit also occurs in a stormy context within the FFR. Its ex-president, Bernard Laporte, resigned on January 27, a month after his two-year suspended prison sentence for entering into a “corruption pact” with the businessman and president of the Montpellier club, Mohed Altrad. Mr. Laporte appealed his conviction.
After his departure, the elected opposition members left the FFR steering committee in the face of the refusal to organize new elections. The treasurer, Alexandre Martinez, has since served as interim president.
A general meeting of the FFR is to be held from June 29 to July 1 in Lille.
