The International Rugby Federation (World Rugby) said Thursday that it was “concerned about the allegations about working conditions” within the organizing committee of the Mondial-2023 in France after the French Ministry of Sports seized the inspection work following a press enquiry.
"World Rugby has officially raised its concerns with the committee's board and the French Rugby Federation" and "welcomes the decision of the French state to request investigations", she added.
On Wednesday evening, the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, indicated that she had requested the referral to the Labor Inspectorate, after having “learned of the worrying elements reported by the newspaper l'Équipe relating to the social climate, labor relations and the management of the GIP France 2023 teams, in charge of organizing the Rugby World Cup”.
In a long article published on Wednesday, the daily L'Équipe had detailed "the extremely degraded working climate within the organizing committee of the 2023 World Cup".
In great detail, the sports daily recounts a “deep social malaise”, where burn-out, resignations and anxiety attacks mingle under the influence of “management by terror”.
"We note that the case is being examined by the France 2023 ethics committee and we welcome the decision of the French Ministry of Sports to have requested that an in-depth investigation be carried out by the labor inspectorate. “, writes the international federation in a press release sent to AFP.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further until the outcome of these ongoing investigations is known,” she added.
