Bernard Laporte defends his record before the next elections.

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CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP

The president of the French Rugby Federation Bernard Laporte, implicated for supposed pressure, affirmed that "the file is empty", Thursday, the day after the end of his hearing by the national financial prosecutor.

“I approached these 'interviews' with serenity.

When you have nothing to be ashamed of, you have the force of truth with you.

It had been almost 3 years that I waited to enlighten the investigators on a file whose content was not accessible to me, ”explained Laporte in a long message posted on his Facebook account.

“The dialogue with the investigators will have finished convincing me.

Despite extensive investigations, with colossal means, press campaigns constantly rehashing the same theories ...: the file is empty.

There is nothing concrete.

Calculations, interpretations, scenarios ... The mountain is going to give birth to a mouse, ”he added.

In a letter addressed to the clubs, Bernard Laporte announces that "the file is empty" and that "the mountain will give birth to a mouse."

#Altrad #FFR @pr_financier pic.twitter.com/FXbs7kuuG7

- Philippe Kallenbrunn (@Ph_Kallenbrunn) September 24, 2020

The boss of French rugby, suspected of having used his influence in favor of Montpellier, the club of Mohed Altrad, also sponsor of the Blues, was heard for two days by the Brigade for the repression of economic delinquency (BRDE), just like the director general of the Mondial-2023 Claude Atcher, two senior officials of the Federation, Serge Simon and Nicolas Hourquet, and Mohed Altrad.

"Media surge"

Laporte, 56, is particularly 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. He has always defended himself, even if he admitted to having telephoned on June 30, 2017 to the president of the commission, Jean-Daniel Simonet.

“This surge will only have been in the media.

With less than ten days of our deadline, I am entitled to ask myself the question of the advisability.

Who could benefit from the storm?

Now having knowledge of the axes of the investigation, I am more serene than ever, ”said the former coach.

This police custody took place about ten days before the elections for the presidency of the federation, where the former secretary of state for sports (2007-2009) is seeking a second term.

Scheduled for October 3, they pit Bernard Laporte against his main opponent Florian Grill.

“Communication strategies, media traps… all of this does not affect me!

I am focused on my responsibility, ”said Laporte, before assuring that he wanted to be world champion in 2021 (with the women's XV) and in 2023 (with the men's XV).

Sport

Elections to the FFR: "The house of cards is collapsing", Florian Grill believes in his chances of overthrowing Bernard Laporte

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