Pro D2 player Timoci Nagusa has chosen to take his 28-day paternity leave. His announcement is controversial in the world of professional rugby.
On October 11, Timoci Nagusa, Fijian and rugby player in the Grenoble Pro D2 team, made a revelation that aroused a lot of interest, curiosity but also negative reactions. The rugby player who was then awaiting the imminent arrival of his second child decided to take full advantage of his 28-day paternity leave that he allows French law in order to prepare for his arrival.
This decision aroused a great deal of enthusiasm, whether in the media or among certain players in the world of rugby. Faced with the incomprehension he encountered, the dad spoke on his Twitter account and openly writes “I made this decision without hesitation, knowing that the job, the rugby, the fans, will disappear, but only the family will remain forever”. Nice words unfortunately not always well understood.
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A stance strongly criticized, important players in the world of rugby have spoken on this subject. “It is a little beyond me. I find that he is taking his staff hostage, he is taking his club hostage “, lamented Christophe Urios, manager of Bordeaux-Bègles. “A high-level athlete, even if he has strong performance and life constraints alongside performance, they have a lot of free time alongside the guys. He may very well support his family while playing the game with his club.“Before him, it was the former coach of the XV of France, Philippe Saint-André, who criticized this decision.”A month’s break in professional sport and even more in rugby which is a very demanding sport, that seems very complicated to me.“he expresses himself.
Fortunately, even though it has been criticized by part of the oval world, Timoci Nagusa can count on the support of the Provale players’ union and in particular its president, Robins Tchale-Watchou. “It’s a bit of a shame that today, we criticize a dad who makes just a human choice. It’s something important, it’s not like he’s on vacation“, he insists at the microphone of RMC Sport, calling for “encourage this” instead of arguing. Another important support, the mayor of Grenoble, the city where he operates, Éric Piolle. “Let’s go further to democratize these holidays and strengthen them“, said the councilor on Twitter.”Support for Timoci Nagusa ‘light to follow’ as he says and for all young fathers who assert their right to paternity leave! It is now a formal right increased to one month, it remains to make it a real right, and not a fight, to benefit from it serenely …“, noted Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship and long-time defender of gender equality.
Most parents have been crying out for inequality for years. Unfortunately, despite an update in July 2021 of the law, parental leave is still difficult to accept in the professional environment.