FFR elections: the Federation launches its electoral process to find a new president

Who will succeed Alexandre Martinez, appointed interim president after the resignation of Bernard Laporte on January 27? Florian Grill, the leader of the opposition, or Patrick Buisson, in charge of amateur rugby at the FFR, both officially candidates? Serge Blanco, a former opposition MP who has distanced himself from Grill, hopes for the time being to return to the steering committee but has not closed the door to a possible candidacy for the presidency. The seat has been vacant since the departure during the second term of Bernard Laporte, after his two-year suspended prison sentence for having made a "corruption pact" with businessman and president of the Montpellier club Mohed Altrad. A conviction for which he appealed. The opposition to Laporte within the steering committee of the Federation, embodied by the president of the League of Ile-de-France, had then resigned en bloc. An interim president, FFR treasurer Alexandre Martinez, was then appointed to manage day-to-day affairs.

After two days of voting via electronic voting, the names of the twelve missing elected members of the steering committee, which has forty members, will be known on Friday evening. Then, on June 12, it will be the actual election of the president of the Federation, for which Buisson and Grill have already declared themselves candidates, and whose result will be proclaimed on June 14. "We have to put aside our differences. I am standing to rally behind the XV of France because it is together that we will win: the division has no place in our Federation, especially a few months before the World Cup (September 8 - October 28)" organized in France, explained in an interview with AFP Patrick Buisson, former player in Vienne (Isère), educator then director in Uzès (Gard).

In front of him, Florian Grill explained to AFP that he intended to "revive rugby from the base (...) by reinvesting in leagues, departmental committees and clubs, and by reinvesting massively in the school that has been abandoned." He also confirmed his intention, if elected president, to entrust Patrick Buisson with the task of completing the organization of the World Cup-2023 because "it would be irresponsible to change a team three months before the event". The former international Serge Blanco (93 caps between 1980 and 1991) represents another current, "the voice of the clubs", just like the former coach of the Blues (1995-1999) Jean-Claude Skrela, who for his part is not interested in a candidacy for the presidency.