The reactions were quick.
And they are logically unanimous.
A few hours after the revelations concerning the arrest and police custody for "corruption of a minor" and "recording of child pornography images" of Bruno Martini - which resulted, as we revealed, in a one-year suspended prison sentence -, the authorities of French handball expressed themselves through two press releases.
The National League, of which the former goalkeeper of the Barjots was the president since November 2021, and the Federation demanded the resignation of the person concerned.
“Revealed by a media at the start of the day, the extremely serious facts of which Bruno Martini is accused in the context of his private life led the League's Management Committee to meet urgently in the middle of the day to study the consequences of this legal case, announces the Hand League in the press release.
Initially, the leaders of the NHL await the probable and desirable resignation of Bruno Martini, knowing that a possible conviction would lead by right to an impossibility of exercising the function.
If this were not the case as soon as possible, they are collectively ready to return their mandate to lead to the organization of new elections and the end of the President's functions.
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📇 Meeting urgently in the middle of the day, the NHL Steering Committee is awaiting the resignation of its President, Bruno MARTINI.https://t.co/faegBp6TlK pic.twitter.com/p2VPhTUmeu
– National Handball League (@LNHofficiel) January 25, 2023
The leaders, who wish to "recall their attachment to the values that handball has always been able to embody, as well as their unconditional support for all victims of violence or discrimination", have already scheduled the holding of an elective general assembly. next March 7.
In the meantime, the League will be represented by David Tebib, the current vice-president of the institution.
For its part, the French Handball Federation, whose main officials are currently in Poland to support France, which faces Germany this Wednesday evening in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, "was informed today, with amazement, of the extremely serious accusations against Bruno Martini".
Facts “which have no place in sport”, indicates the authority in a press release.
The Fed, which is on the same wavelength as the League, is calling for the resignation of the former international goalkeeper.
"In line with its zero tolerance policy which it has been advocating on the subject for several years, the Handball Federation reaffirms its determination to fight against all forms of violence and intends to recall that it severely condemns such acts, when they are established and regardless of the person implicated”.
Philippe Bana, the President of the Federation, will convene the management office as soon as possible to decide on the follow-up to be given to "this serious situation both in criminal terms, in terms of federal discipline and in human terms".