The National Rugby League has decided to become a civil party to the trial of the president of the French Federation (FFR) Bernard Laporte and the businessman Mohed Altrad, tried from September 7 for suspicions of favoritism around sponsorship of the XV of France, we learned Wednesday from the LNR.
This procedure allows the League in particular to have access to the file and to participate in the debates, which will take place until September 22 before the Paris Criminal Court.
After an investigation by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), MM.
Laporte and Altrad were sent to court in particular for influence peddling, corruption and abuse of corporate assets, for alleged facts ranging from 2016 to 2021. The number 2 of the FFR, Serge Simon, will also be tried before the criminal court for unlawful taking of interest.
Bernard Laporte, president of the FFR since 2016, is suspected of having used, mainly between 2016 and 2018, his influence in favor of Mohed Altrad, great rugby finance man, sponsor of the jersey of the XV of France and owner of the Montpellier club (Top 14).
The PNF investigation was opened in 2017 to examine in particular the links between the two men, who contest the charges.
Claude Atcher, who was laid off on Monday as a precautionary measure from his position as general manager of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, as well as his partner in his company Score XV, Benoît Rover, will also be tried for concealment of breach of trust, abuse of corporate assets and concealed work by concealment of activity.
Justice suspects Atcher of having benefited, between 2017 and 2018 via non-existent services paid to his company Score XV, from around 80,000 euros that Laporte would have diverted to the detriment of the FFR.
The ex-boss of France-2023 was dismissed following a joint decision by the Ministry of Sports, the FFR and the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF), due
to “alarming managerial practices
”.
It must still be ratified on Friday by an exceptional board of directors of the GIP (Public Interest Group) France 2023.
