Racist insults in Pro D2: record suspension of 7 and a half months for Radosavljevic

A record sanction for example.

In the case of racist insults against the Cameroonian winger of Nevers Christian Ambadiang, the scrum half Ludovic Radosavljevic (Provence Rugby) was sentenced this Thursday by the disciplinary committee of the National Rugby League to a record suspension of 26 matches .

On September 3, the Aix scrum half had profaned racist insults at the Cameroonian winger from Nevers.

Violent, shocking words.

"I'm going to burn, banana eater!"

Unacceptable remarks launched just before half-time of the match and embellished with a punch to the player from Nevers.

To discover

• Pro D2 schedule and results

To read also "I will burn you, eater of bananas": the rugby player author of racist remarks denounces and apologizes

Basically, the disciplinary committee had suspended him for 52 weeks, "

ie the maximum sanction incurred

", indicates the NRL which adds: "

After taking into account the spontaneous recognition by the player of the facts with which he is accused once the meeting ended, on social networks and at the hearing, of the recognition of his guilt, his clean criminal record and the expression of remorse before the hearing and at the hearing, the sanction was reduced by the commission 26 weeks. As a result, Ludovic Radosavljevic is suspended 26 weeks from official competitive matches.

“That is a record penalty of 7 and a half months.

After the match, held on September 3, USON Nevers Rugby President Régis Dumange went directly to Ludovic Radosavljevic to ask him to apologize.

What the former player of Clermont (2008-2017) and Castres (2017-2019) had done, but explaining "

that it was in the heat of the action

".

A justification qualified as "

unacceptable

" by the winger of Nevers, who had decided to publish a long post on Instagram to denounce the facts.

Radosavljevic had denounced himself

The Provence Rugby club had then, in a press release, deplored this unacceptable overflow. The Aix club had wanted "

to apologize to Christian Ambadiang and, more generally, to all those who might be shocked by the situation. We are too. Club management will now meet with their player and put in place sanctions commensurate with the seriousness of the facts. "

In the process, Radosavljevic himself admitted being the author of his insults.

"I measure the seriousness of my actions and take full responsibility for it by also apologizing to all the people who were shocked by this,

had published the scrum half in a post on Instagram.

I realize that what happened today represents the biggest mistake of my life and I ask forgiveness from Christian Ambadiang, his club, my family, my teammates, my staff, my leaders, club licensees, volunteers, all our supporters and club partners. ”

Following a chain of events in a tense match context, my words exceeded my thought

Ludovic Radosavljevic

And to add:

“Following a chain of events in a tense match context, my words exceeded my thought. I understand the seriousness of my actions and take full responsibility for it, also apologizing to all the people who were shocked by it. It is not part of my values, nor of those that I pass on to my children. I remain a human who makes mistakes and learns from them. ”

Despite his apologies, the damage was done. And the affair caused a stir, well beyond the scope of the Pro D2 and the world of rugby. The National Rugby League (LNR), but also the French Rugby Federation (FFR), then decided to seize the disciplinary committee to rule on this serious overflow.

At the end of his hearing on Wednesday before the disciplinary committee, accompanied by his manager Mauricio Reggiardo and President Denis Philipon, “Rado” declined to comment. Christian Ambadiang did not wish to speak either. Briefly, its president Régis Dumange confided "to

have been heard

", adding that he could not express himself on this "

very serious matter

". The Nivernais leader still clarified that his player had "

spoken with his heart

" and that he "

does not want that to happen again

".

What next career for number 9 from Vaucluse? In 2020, he left Castres, one year before the end of his contract, to commit three seasons with Provence Rugby, that is until 2023. The sanction which has just been imposed on him is exemplary. In view of the calendar, the number 9 Aixois - who had been laid off by his club - will be requalified on April 25, 2022, he could then only participate in the last two days of Pro D2 at the beginning of May (trip to Oyonnax, reception of Mont-de-Marsan).

In the world of football, no player has been so heavily punished. In 2011, Luis Suarez, then in Liverpool, had been suspended 8 matches for alleged insults towards Patrice Evra (Manchester United), which he would have called "negrito" (little black). Another case: Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela was suspended 10 matches from UEFA for calling Glen Kamara (Glasgow Rangers) a "monkey".