Bernard Laporte's lawyer denounces a "whipped cream case"

INTERVIEW

Bernard Laporte, the president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), was taken into custody on Tuesday in the investigation into his supposed links with the Altrad group, the sponsor of the Blues.

At the microphone of Europe 1, his lawyer was annoyed Wednesday at the slowness of justice, this rebound occurring in particular three years after the opening of a preliminary investigation by the national financial prosecutor's office.

"Scandalized by the schedule"

"I am scandalized by the schedule. I have made every effort to try to explain to the prosecutor that this date is not admissible, that in a case born three years ago we do not wait for the date of 22 September 2020 to interview those interested, "explains Jean-Pierre Versini Campinchi.

Indeed, this interrogation takes place ten days before the federal elections, Bernard Laporte being a candidate for a second term at the head of the FFR.

Police custody was lifted on Wednesday evening, along with those of businessman Mohed Altrad and three other people.

All came out free.

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In the eyes of Bernard Laporte's lawyer, this is an attempt to destabilize: "There is a systematic suspicion when you are a notorious figure like him", he argues.

"From the start, we have known that this dossier was put together in whipped cream. I am absolutely confident about the end result: the mountain will give birth to a mouse", assures Jean-Pierre Versini Campinchi.

It is now up to the national financial prosecutor to decide on the follow-up to be given to this preliminary investigation opened in 2017 to examine in particular the links between Bernard Laporte and Mohed Altrad, owner of Montpellier Hérault Rugby (MHR) and jersey sponsor of the XV of France.

He can now decide to continue his preliminary investigation, to open a judicial investigation entrusted to investigating judges, or to put an end to the investigations.

Several cases

In this case, the boss of French rugby is suspected of having favored Montpellier (Top 14) by intervening with the FFR appeal committee to reduce sanctions against the club at the end of June 2017. is still defended, even if he admitted having telephoned the president of the commission, Jean-Daniel Simonet on June 30.

The sponsorship contract of the Altrad group, a specialist in building materials which has become the first jersey sponsor of the XV of France, was also discussed by the investigators, according to Serge Simon's lawyer, Me Pierre Blazy.

Another subject of interest of the financial police, according to Me Blazy: the support of the Altrad group for the French candidacy, ultimately victorious, for the organization of the 2023 World Cup, as the

mid-August

had written

.