France Rugby announces an overhaul of its disciplinary rules after a controversial tour to Argentina

The president of the French Rugby Federation, Florian Grill, announced on Monday an overhaul of the disciplinary system of the French teams after a summer tour to Argentina overshadowed by allegations of attempted rape and racism.

“The historical model that has existed for years, based on empowerment and responsibility, does not work,” Grill told AFP in an interview, revealing that “a plan, in which there will be controls and sanctions”, will be revealed in the coming days.

“The framework was not clear and a form of flexible structure was even admitted,” he explained of the approach taken so far.

“We are setting a clear framework which will then allow sanctions to be imposed. And we will not have a shaking hand.”

In July, French players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, both 21, were charged with aggravated rape after winning their first international cap against Argentina.

The two men were arrested after a 39-year-old woman claimed they violently attacked her in a hotel room hours after their victory against the Pumas in Mendoza.

On the same night in July, full-back Melvyn Jaminet made racist comments on social networks. He was sent home after the three-match tour and was suspended for 34 weeks by the FFR.

On Friday, the Mendoza prosecutor’s office recommended that the aggravated rape charges against Auradou and Jegou be dropped at a hearing set for October 18.

Grill said he “totally respects” Argentina’s justice system and would not comment on the Jegou-Auradou case.

But the boss of the FFR declared that he wanted to put an end to the post-match celebrations “of the fourth and fifth halves” which had preceded these affairs.

“There will be financial or sporting sanctions” in the future, he continued, regretting the previous years “a form of acceptance of these excesses which could sometimes even be organized”.

“We can’t imagine that we’re doing ultra-elaborate nutrition, personalized hydration for each player, data that we don’t want to know, and that at the same time, we can, in the middle of a tour, do a fourth or fifth half,” he explained.

The details of this project, which notably includes an overhaul of the international player charter, should be announced in the coming days.

“We cannot take all the positive points of rugby, ask brands and partners to associate their image with our presupposed values ​​and not respect them,” he added.

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