Serge Blanco and Jean-Claude Skrela having resigned from Ovale Ensemble to present themselves as free candidates, the opposition to the team in place - elected on the Laporte list, resigning president - presented this Saturday its candidates for the twelve seats to be filled to the Steering Committee of the French Rugby Federation (including 9 following the resignation of the members… of Ovale Ensemble at the end of January).
The headliner of this collective, Florian Grill, will appear before the amateur clubs during these by-elections (from May 24 to 26).
Just like Abdelatif Benazzi, Jean-Marc Lhermet or Sylvain Deroeux.
On the other hand, Guy Novès and Fabien Pelous are not candidates.
But the two ex-Toulousans were present during this announcement, this Saturday in Castelnaudary, to confirm their support for the opposition list.
The majority accepts all candidates under the banner ''All united behind the XV of France''
For its part, the team currently in place and in the majority on the Steering Committee did not wish to present a closed list.
Although Patrick Buisson has been designated “
candidate of the presidential majority
” for the post of president (elections by the amateur clubs on June 12 among, obligatorily, the 40 members of this Committee), the candidates are free to present themselves as they wish “
whatever whatever their origin, under the banner “All united behind the XV of France”, provided that they support this proposal intended to sanctuary this historic period for rugby and French sport in general”
.
"
It is imperative to put aside political squabbles and come together for one goal: the victory of our national team,"
the statement continued.
These next elections must not compromise this historic opportunity by plunging the FFR into an institutional crisis.
A new deleterious campaign and a hypothetical cohabitation would only sow division and hinder the action of our Federation.
(…) Consequently, the path of an isolated opposition president to govern with a majority steering committee elected by the clubs until 2024 would make no sense and would be deadly for French rugby.
»
A speech wanting to be unitary for a consequence.
The majority and its presidential candidate, Patrick Buisson, will not campaign, “
simply informing the clubs of the electoral modalities
”.
The list of twelve Oval Ensemble candidates
: Abdelatif Benazzi, Sylvain Deroeux, Laurent Estampe, Xabi Etcheverry, Florian Grill, Clémence Gueucier, Claude Hélias, Marion Kellin, Jean-Marc Lhermet, Pascale Mercier, Alain Rieu-Beillan, Jordan Roux.