The pillar of the XV of France rugby Mohamed Haouas was recently sentenced to one year in prison for domestic violence, but without continued detention. The court had rendered its decision after a brief deliberation, therefore condemning the player to a firm, but flexible, one-year sentence. In the process, ASM Clermont Auvergne, which Mohamed Haouas was to join next season, announced that he was breaking his contract (formalized on January 1) for the next three seasons.
This Wednesday, the international pillar was summoned before the industrial tribunal by the ASM, which demanded the nullity of his contract. Patrick Puso, the lawyer for the Auvergne club, began his argument by asking that the player’s employment contract be canceled for “vice of consent”, without asking for dismissal. “I ask to suspend the taking effect of the employment contract which must take place on July 1. It is a precautionary request. Rugby is a sport but also an art of living and a school of life. (…) When a player signs an employment contract, he signs a contract which refers to the FFR regulations and in particular to the charter of ethics”, he declared to the hearing in remarks reported by RMC .
For his part, Mohamed Haouas’ lawyer, Me Arnaud Dubois, deplored a “grotesque situation”. According to him, the procedure brought by Clermont is “artistically well done but totally abusive”: “The Labor Court of Clermont is incompetent territorially, incompetent in the absence of imminent damage.” He asked, for the damage suffered, 50,000 euros and a fine of 10,000 euros, reports RMC. The deliberation will be delivered on Monday, June 26 at 2 p.m. We will know more about the validity or otherwise of Mohamed Haouas’ contract at ASM. Before the debate on the merits of the case which will take place in September.
