The current majority has refused the outstretched hand of the opposition in view of the elections of the new president of the French Rugby Federation, from June 12 to 14. In a virulent press release, signed by the “members of the FFR’s Steering Committee, elected by the majority carried first by Bernard Laporte then by Alexandre Martinez”, she warns “with simplicity and force” that she will not collaborate with Ovale Ensemble in the event of the election of Florian Grill and reaffirms its wish to see its representative, Patrick Buisson, elected.
“We refute any possibility of alliance, agreement or rallying with another candidate who would be elected without a majority to the post of President of the FFR. Once elected, he would thus find himself totally unable to exercise his power, plunging the institution into a regrettable functional complexity. And to add, “any statement contrary to these two principles by the candidate, his supporters or any media whatsoever is a lie against amateur clubs”.
A clarification that earned a response from the opposition. “The current governance of the FFR widely disseminates a text in which it refuses any idea of cohabitation, whatever the outcome of the ballot box, and makes this threat the heart of its second round program. The slogan of this governance, “all united behind the XV of France”, evoked “appeasement” to preserve the World Cup and our blues. Should it now, and after a first round, be ”chaos” and that we are ”all disunited”?”
“Such a position, to try to impose a president already rejected by the referendum, would amount to saying to the clubs ” whatever your vote we will not take it into account ”.” For Florian Grille and Ovale Ensemble, “this statement above all demonstrates great excitement”.
“We say it forcefully: one cannot decently claim to lead a Federation by assuming to utter threats which are akin to ”blackmail into chaos” three months before a World Cup which requires the unity of all in the acceptance of diversity and differences.”
