Difficult to see clearly after the new and umpteenth twist in the case of illegal pregnancy tests in handball. On February 14, the Association of Professional Handball Players (AJPH) revealed that pregnancy tests had been carried out at Nantes AHB, resident of the Butagaz Energy League, without the players' consent. "An unacceptable and illegal practice," according to the AJPH press release.
During the day, Arnaud Ponroy, the president of the club had assured that the players were aware. A dozen of them then went to a press conference to confirm "that none found with the press release from AJPH that she had undergone this test," assured Captain Léa Lignières. A version denied by part of the Nantes workforce this Sunday.
📝 We, professional players of the NAHB, want our story to be known, through this open letter.https: //t.co/dm1a7Tzpea
- AJPH (@AJPHandball) February 16, 2020Six players, who wished to remain anonymous, "half of the current professional workforce", published an open letter on the AJPH website. “We would like to clarify that on Friday (Editor's note: February 14) , half of the team deliberately refused to attend the club's press conference, in disagreement with the version that was going to be on display, and that other players Nor did those present at the conference agree with it, ”they said in the preamble to the text.
"We don't want to attack anyone in particular"
"We only wish to say that we, the signatories of this open letter, were not specifically informed that the biological assessments that we went to include a blood pregnancy test, then stress the Nantes players. It is not our role to know whether it is illegal or not, but we simply wished to have been informed beforehand and to have been able to give our consent. "
Before raising the debate: "By denouncing this practice, we hope that an awareness is made so that no other player, so that no other woman, has to experience this again in the context of his work, whether athletic or not. "
As at the press conference on February 14, the players who published this letter reaffirm their support for the club doctor, Dr. Thibault Berlivet, who ordered these tests this summer as part of their health check at the start of the season . “We also make it clear that we don't want to attack anyone in particular. We also do not want the doctor we trust to lose his job. "