Paris (AFP)
The elections for the presidency of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) were maintained on October 3, she announced Friday at the end of a steering committee.
"The FFR's executive committee confirmed the date of October 3, 2020 for the holding of the elective general assembly, this date having never been questioned legally", explained the body in a press release.
Florian Grill, the only official candidate facing the outgoing president, Bernard Laporte, asked that the federal elections be postponed due to the health crisis.
"There were two months during which the campaign was completely interrupted. We also had to have the decency not to speak during this period. The clubs had voted an election campaign which was to last nine months, but then it does not last, in the best case, only seven months ... ", said Grill, president of the Ile-de-France regional rugby league, to AFP.
"The Minister of Sports had proposed to postpone the election deadline by four months. Most federations postponed their elections. They are not in rugby. The Federation's ethics and professional committee had given an extremely clear: he recommended to shift. It is ultimately not the case. Of which act, "he added.
Bernard Laporte, former player and coach, then coach of the XV de France (1999-2007), Secretary of State for Sports (2007-2009) and manager of RC Toulon (2011-2016), has been president of the FFR since December 2016 .
© 2020 AFP