Paris (AFP)

Florian Grill, Bernard Laporte's opponent in the elections for the head of the French Rugby Federation, compared the criticisms of the president of the FFR against him to "an assault on the back".

"I regret that he (Bernard Laporte) prefers aggression in the back or through the media, to the courage of face-to-face debate, calm and argued", said in a statement Grill, which hopes to beat the president outgoing in the October 3 election.

The president of the Ile-de-France league reacted to criticisms of Laporte expressed during a press conference in Saint-Jean-de-Védas (Hérault) on Thursday, the day after his hearing in an investigation ordered by the national prosecution financial.

"It's not easy to be in police custody. The same day in an article, he (Florian Grill) declares that I have put the Federation on fire and blood. It is to kick a player on the ground. If this is his values ​​of rugby, he must leave our sport, "the boss of the FFR was carried away, referring to an interview with his opponent at Figaro.

"I knew he was a coward on a field because I have friends who played with him, but there, once again, that confirms his mentality," added Laporte.

For Grill, the president of the FFR behaves "by victimizing himself".

"I regret (...) that Bernard Laporte, who often invokes democracy, refused the debate", during the campaign, replied the president of the Ile-de-France league.

For two days, Laporte was heard by the Economic Crime Repression Brigade (BRDE) before being released on Wednesday, as were four other defendants, including the owner of the Montpellier club and businessman Mohed Altrad.

The latter's company is also a jersey sponsor of the XV of France.

In this case, the boss of French rugby is particularly suspected of having favored the MHR (Top 14) by intervening with the FFR's 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 the president of the commission, Jean-Daniel Simonet on June 30.

© 2020 AFP