Paris (AFP)

Strong statements on one side, open letter on the other. Suspended since mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the campaign for the presidency of the French Rugby Federation has resumed.

First act Friday. Leader of the opposition to Bernard Laporte, Florian Grill is back on the offensive, sharply tackling the current boss of the FFR "in front of the avalanche of federal communications".

"They are complementary above ground and disconnected. But also, in my opinion, dehumanized because everything revolves around money. Bernard Laporte is on another planet", launched Florian Grill on RMC.

The president of the Ile-de-France regional rugby league denounced financial management "with almost 10 million euros in cumulative operating deficit" but also "total and absolute tension" between League and Federation.

"The only deadline that matters to him (Laporte, editor's note) is the election deadline. He is totally blinded. He shows blindness in a period that would require clairvoyance," said Florian Grill.

- Elections scheduled for October -

In the process, Laporte's support went up to the plate. Sunday, twenty leaders, including 11 of the 13 presidents of Leagues, widely distributed an open letter to respond to Florian Grill, supported in particular by former internationals such as Serge Blanco, Fabien Pelous, Jean-Claude Skrela, Eric Champ or Jean-Marc Lhermet.

The objective? Respond "to the statements of former professional players and former leaders of the FFR who have never devoted a single minute of their time to the life of an amateur club or a leader with a purely electoral discourse".

These leaders underline the efforts made by the Federation to fight the unprecedented crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, starting with the plan of 35 million euros which "will accompany, preserve, protect the clubs of today see you next season. "

"The decision to stop competitions at the start of the crisis has enabled clubs to be able to immediately plan for the next season with a wise decision to promote sporting dynamics by allowing the climbs, without relegating any club", also assure the signatories, including Henri Mondino or Alain Doucet, presidents of the Leagues Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Occitanie, and close to Bernard Laporte.

The former coach, recently elected vice-president of World Rugby, is not yet officially a candidate for re-election. To succeed it, the opposition is in the starting blocks.

The election is scheduled for October 3 but, due to the pandemic, a ministerial decree approved the postponement to April 30, 2021 of the elections of sports federations, except those whose disciplines are included in the program of the Olympic Games. 'winter.

Opponents have already called for a postponement. The FFR election is currently still scheduled for the fall, but Bernard Laporte has promised that he will be "loyalist" and respect the decisions of the Ministry of Sports.

The campaign is (re) launched.

© 2020 AFP