France threaten legal action over Pacific Rugby Players Welfare comments

July 23, 2020
1208
Ultimate Rugby

Following a 59-page dossier alleging bribery and corruption in the election of Bill Beaumont and Bernard Laporte as World Rugby chairman and vice-chairman, the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare is in deeper hot water as France threaten to take legal action.

Pacific Rugby Players Welfare today publishes the Veilomani Report, our recommendations to end glaring deficiencies in World Rugby’s governance.https://t.co/a7k08UFaC3

— PacificRugbyWelfare (@pacificwelfare) July 22, 2020

The Pacific Rugby Players Welfare submitted a stinging dossier to the sport's global governing body on Wednesday, citing French newspaper L’Equipe in reporting that "negotiations intended to ensure Fiji’s vote for the Beaumont-Laporte ticket sees the FFR [French Rugby Federation] having committed, according to our information, to host a match against Fiji each year as well as national team and U20 camps [at the Marcoussis National Centre of Rugby, with the French U20s]’.

Fiji Rugby has confirmed that current Chairman, Commander Francis Kean will also rotate out from the Fiji Rugby Board as per the Fiji Rugby Constitution.

Mr. Conway Beg is the new appointee by the Hon. Prime Minister to the Fiji Rugby Board. For more ➡️ https://t.co/4M7yUbkjAU
— Fiji Rugby Union (@fijirugby) July 22, 2020

In a translated statement, the FFR have issued a statement saying: The French Rugby Federation has taken note of the allegations contained in the PACIFIC RUGBY PLAYERS WELFARE association report and released yesterday, by hurry. These are extremely serious statements that call for a proportionate response. The FFR cannot accept that such slanderous accusations go with impunity. uttered. In accordance with the position taken by World Rugby, the FFR takes issue with these completely unfounded insinuations, and has taken up contact with his lawyers to constitute a legal action to bring the author of these writings before a competent court for public defamation. The FFR will also take legal action against any action taken by World Rugby and the FRU. going in this direction.

World Rugby has also responded with a statement saying they 'strongly refutes unsubstantiated and erroneous claims' made by the organisation and that the governing body is 'completely satisfied that the 2020 chairperson election'.

World Rugby full statement