World Rugby cleared of bulky Fijian candidate convicted of homicide

The Fijian Rugby Federation has withdrawn the candidacy of its president Francis Kean, notably accused of homophobia and convicted of manslaughter, to the executive committee of World Rugby, according to a press release from the world authority published on Tuesday. "World Rugby takes note of the decision of the Fijian Rugby Federation to withdraw its president, Ratu Vilikesa Bulewa Francis Kean, from the World Council, and therefore to withdraw his candidacy for the World Rugby Executive Committee," wrote World Rugby.

Support from Beaumont and proposed by the FFR

Kean is one of the main supporters of the outgoing president of the world rugby body, Bill Beaumont, who wants to be re-elected in a poll in late April for which he will be opposed to his vice-president, the Argentinian Augustin Pichot. . World Rugby announced Monday that it will investigate charges of homophobia against the president of the Fijian federation, following an article in the British newspaper Sunday Times in which he was accused of "blatant homophobia" "

Kean was proposed by the French Federation and its president Bernard Laporte, himself a candidate for the vice-presidency of World Rugby, to obtain one of the seven seats on the executive committee of the world federation. Former head of the Fijian Navy and brother-in-law of Frank Bainimarama, who became Prime Minister in a coup in 2006, Kean was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assault and battery which resulted in death of one of the guests at the wedding of Bainimarama's daughter, who is also his niece.

18 months in prison and homophobic comments

He was later denounced by two Amnesty International reports concerning the impunity enjoyed by the Fijian police, including after being beaten or raped, when he was in charge of the prison system of the 'archipelago, from 2016. A recording of Kean, where he makes violently homophobic remarks, had also been made available to the Sunday Times.

"The Fiji Rugby Federation recognizes the seriousness of the allegations made and the need for a thorough investigation, and that it is in the interest of the sport that Mr. Kean withdraw from the Council and that his candidacy for the Executive Committee be withdrawn" , also wrote World Rugby. Fiji Federation chief executive John O'Connor will replace Kean on the world board, World Rugby said. Kean's candidacy had been criticized, notably by former Samoa captain Dan Leo, who said in an open letter that it risked "degrading" the values ​​of World Rugby.

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