Bernard Laporte is “voluntarily” leaving his position as Vice President of the World Rugby Championship
President French rugby He “temporarily and voluntarily” resigned “with immediate effect” from his duties as Vice President of the Republic the scientistthe body that governs the rules of the oval ball, this Tuesday, December 3, a few hours After he was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison sentence for corruption and influence peddling.
The Paris Criminal Court sentenced Benard Laporte to a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 75,000 euros, and he was found guilty of five of the six crimes for which he was tried, including passive corruption and influence peddling in favor of Mohamed Al-Trad. President of the Montpellier Club.
Conviction appeal
Thus, the World Rugby Board of Directors explained in a press release that it “has taken note of the decision taken by its Vice-Chairman Bernard Laporte to withdraw, temporarily and voluntarily, from all posts held by the International Federation, immediately after its conviction by the French court in the context of a national case.”
The World Rugby Executive Committee has also entrusted its independent ethics officer to rule on the Bernard Laporte case for review, according to its integrity code.
Since the President of the French Federation has appealed his conviction, the suspended sentence of imprisonment as well as the additional penalty of banning the activity of the President of the French Federation, for a period of two years, is not immediately enforceable.
The Minister of Sports is unfit for maintenance
However, Sports Minister Amelie Ueda Castera considered this conviction to be an “impediment” to her pursuit of her mission at the helm of the FFF. Less than a year until the World Cup in France (September 8 – October 28).
Ouéda-Castéra also called for “a new democratic era to allow French rugby to start over as soon as possible on healthy and solid enough foundations”. At the start of August, World Rugby appointed an independent Director of Ethics, who will be responsible for implementing the Code of Integrity voted on in 2021.
New Zealander Neil Hallett, who served in the police force for thirty-five years before retiring in 2020 as an inspector, will “operate completely independently of World Rugby,” then explained the body, wanting to defend “a global sport for all, faithful to its values.”
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