Never before has an election to the presidency of a federation have so unleashed passions.
For a year, verbal attacks have been on the rise.
This Saturday around noon, we will know the name of the boss of French rugby.
Electronic voting for 1900 amateur clubs began this Friday at 8 a.m.
Will his custody by the financial police last week have an impact on the re-election of Bernard Laporte, 56 years old?
The challenger Florian Grill, 54, will he pull out of the game?
The duel between the two men promises to be more indecisive than ever.
Why are they all opposed?
Laporte blasted his opponent for an interview published in Le Figaro on the day of his custody, suggesting a plot with the help of the National Rugby League.
“Florian Grill declares that I have put the Federation on fire and blood.
It is kicking a downed player.
I knew he was a coward on a field because I have friends who played with him.
But that confirms his mentality, ”said the one who has never been tender with his rival.
"Florian Grill, no one knows him except his mother," he had already declared.
"He prefers aggression from the back or through the media, to the courage of face-to-face debate," retorted the person concerned.
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If the two men have always been immersed in the world of the oval, Laporte took the path of the high level, and Grill that of rugby from below.
Former successful coach of the Stade Français, the XV of France or Toulon, the former Secretary of State for Sports under Nicolas Sarkozy has a charismatic side which can be convincing as irritating.
Former modest second line of the PUC, before becoming a leader in Boulogne-Billancourt, and a graduate of HEC, the boss of the League of Ile-de-France wants to be more discreet.
But the founding CEO of CoSpirit MediaTrack, a marketing consulting agency, made a name for himself during the campaign.
What is their program?
Laporte wants to ride on his success in obtaining the 2023 World Cup and has promised to donate all the profits from the competition to the amateur world.
The financial and logistical support for amateur clubs was the main credo of his term of office.
He also pledged that the Federation would cover the arbitration costs.
He can also boast of having revived a dying XV of France with the appointment of Fabien Galthié or set up federal contracts for the Bleues du rugby.
Grill deplores the loss of more than 50,000 dismissed for four years, even if the FFR announced an annual increase of 4.73% on Thursday, and the increase in personnel costs of the instance.
The revival of the licensees, and consequently the return of revenue from contributions, constitutes its main battle horse.
He wants to develop the teaching of rugby at school.
Finally, he hopes to pacify relations with the LNR, in open conflict with Laporte.
What are their supporters?
Laporte returned to the fight with his close guard of the FFR, including his vice-president Serge Simon.
Pascal Papé, director of the Stade Français training center, and Alain Doucet, who appeared against him in 2016, are also part of his list.
The outgoing president can also count on the support of former Blues, Guilhem Guirado, Serge Betsen or Richard Dourthe.
In an interview with Midi Olympique, Fabien Galthié linked his future to that of Laporte.
In the city, Valérie Pécresse, president of the Ile-de-France region, Edouard Philippe and Jean Castex, former and current Prime Minister, would be among his relatives.
The Grill list includes some old handsome names from the XV of France: Serge Blanco, Jean-Claude Skrela, Abdelatif Benazzi, Fabien Pelous, Julien Pierre.
The former coach Guy Novès, thanked by Laporte, obviously supports him.
Members of the NRL would not take a dim view of his election.
Side wings, the Parisian can rely on a large network.
Claude Bébéar and Jean-René Fourtou, former CEOs of Axa and Vivendi, gave him his support.