A "media explosion".
The expression, signed by a relative of Bernard Laporte, sums up the scope of the announcement of the placement in custody on Tuesday of the president of the French Rugby Federation during his hearing in the premises of the repression brigade of economic delinquency.
Bernard Laporte, but also his closest collaborators, his right-hand man Serge Simon, Claude Atcher, the CEO of the organization of the 2023 World Cup, Nicolas Hourquet, the head of international relations of the FFR, and Mohed Altrad, the owner from the Montpellier club.
Five police custody in what is commonly called, precisely, "the Altrad affair".
It all began at the end of June 2017 when the media revealed that Laporte would have intervened to ease sanctions against Montpellier, in this case a closed-door match inflicted by the League for the deployment of banners hostile to the League and suspensions of two of the MHR players.
Problem, the Altrad group is also a jersey sponsor of the XV of France and we quickly learn that Laporte, on a personal basis, has signed up with Altrad for three conferences for the sum of 120,000 euros.
A contract he will give up to silence accusations of conflict of interest.
A too late renunciation.
The judicial machine is set in motion, since it is quickly confirmed that Laporte telephoned Jean-Daniel Simonet, who then chairs the FFR's appeal committee.
He will say that he had only called him to inquire about the decision.
An investigation, conducted by the Ministry of Sports, resulted in the referral to the national financial prosecutor.
Searches at the headquarters of the FFR, at the homes of the main protagonists and then… nothing.
"An attempted coup"
Bernard Laporte
For more than two years, the case did not move forward.
Until the summons by the BRDE for March 22.
A hearing postponed because of the confinement to this Tuesday.
Eleven days before the election to the presidency of the FFR.
From where the anger of Laporte, deploring a timing "scandalous".
In a letter addressed, while in custody, to the 1,900 presidents of amateur clubs who will vote on October 3, the president of the FFR takes out the artillery.
A long diatribe in which he accuses the leaders of professional rugby, and Paul Goze, the president of the League, at the head, of being in the maneuver of a "campaign of destabilization ten days from a capital deadline".
“It is a real coup attempt, the motivation of the authors of which is beyond doubt.
All of this is part of a real electoral strategy that is quite nauseating, Laporte laments.
I disturb the professional world (…) which would like to see me fall in favor of a more malleable team, not to say servile.
"
>> READ ALSO: Bernard Laporte's lawyer at Le Figaro: “there is nothing at all in the file”
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Without citing his name, he targets Florian Grill.
What will be the continuation of this affair?
Being placed in police custody is the normal procedure in the event of searches followed by a hearing.
This does not in any way presume the guilt of Bernard Laporte.
According to his lawyer, Me Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi, contacted by Le Figaro, “there is nothing at all in the file.
There are lots of little things that could, if we build theories, be the sign of this or that… But there is no case.
Procedures may not have been followed, but we are light years away from crimes.
The lawyer says that as it stands, the case cannot be referred to court.
And believes that, if an investigating judge was seized, the investigation would last several years.
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Bernard Laporte accuses professional rugby of an "attempted putsch"
