Paris (AFP)
The president of the French Rugby Federation Bernard Laporte wanted to be reassuring Friday, at the Agriculture Show, ensuring "to be in direct contact with the Ministry of Sports" around the spread of the coronavirus which has canceled many sporting events, including a Six Nations Tournament match between Italy and Ireland.
"We are in direct contact with the Ministry of Sports. It is the Ministry of Sports which informs us. The State really plays its role: there is a press conference every day, we are delighted with that because everything the world is worried. We are following the instructions and so far everything is going well, "explained the French rugby boss, on the sidelines of the" rendez-vous des terroirs ", a series of initiatives aimed at putting French terroirs and farmers at the forefront of the 2023 World Cup.
"The instructions are not to panic. They will give us the most transparent information to take but today, there is nothing canceled. It is above all + do not panic + We are far-sighted, suspicious, "said Laporte.
As a result of the epidemic of new coronavirus which now affects Europe, the match of the Six Nations Tournament between Ireland and Italy, scheduled for March 7 in Dublin, was postponed Wednesday to an unknown date.
"Other countries do it. For the average person, it is still worrying to say that there are Lyon-Juventus with 3,000 Italians who come and we say that we will postpone Ireland-Italy. It was the Irish government that decided: they have the right to do what they want at home and they certainly have reasons that we don't know. I accept that but, from the outside, it's true that we can say + but are we hiding things from us or not? + it's quite paradoxical, "added the former coach.
Moreover, no question for Bernard Laporte to cancel the training of the Blues on Sunday, open to the public.
"Not at the moment, unless until Sunday, we were told that rallies are prohibited as I saw that this was the case in Switzerland," he said.
© 2020 AFP