The approximately 1,900 French clubs are called to vote from Wednesday to appoint twelve members of the management committee of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), a ballot prior to the election of a new president on June 12. Who will succeed Alexandre Martinez, appointed interim president after the resignation of Bernard Laporte on January 27? Florian Grill, the leader of the opposition, or Patrick Buisson, in charge of amateur rugby at the FFR, both officially candidates? Serge Blanco, former elected opposition member who has moved away from Grill, hopes for the time being to rejoin the steering committee but has not closed the door to a possible candidacy for the presidency.
Electronic voting
The seat has been vacant since the departure during the second term of Bernard Laporte, after his two-year suspended prison sentence for having entered into a “corruption pact” with the businessman and president of the Montpellier club Mohed Altrad . A conviction for which he appealed. The opposition to Laporte within the steering committee of the Federation, embodied by the president of the League of Ile-de-France, had then resigned en bloc. An interim president, the treasurer of the FFR Alexandre Martinez, was then appointed to manage day-to-day business.
After two days of voting via electronic voting, the names of the twelve elected members missing from the steering committee, which has forty members, will be known on Friday evening. Then, on June 12, it will be the actual election of the president of the Federation, for which Buisson and Grill have already declared themselves candidates, and the result of which will be announced on June 14. “We have to put aside our differences. I am presenting myself to unite behind the XV of France because it is together that we will win: the division has no place in our Federation, especially a few months before the World Cup (September 8 – October 28)” organized in France, explained in an interview with AFP Patrick Buisson, former player in Vienne (Isère), educator then manager in Uzès (Gard).
“Reviving Grassroots Rugby”
Facing him, Florian Grill explained to AFP that he intended to “relaunch rugby from the base (…) by reinvesting in leagues, departmental committees and clubs, and by reinvesting massively in the school which has been abandoned. “. He also confirmed his intention, if elected president, to entrust Patrick Buisson with completing the organization of the 2023 World Cup because “it would be irresponsible to change a team three months before the event”.
The ex-international Serge Blanco (93 selections between 1980 and 1991) represents another current, “the voice of the clubs”, just like the former coach of the Blues (1995-1999) Jean-Claude Skrela, who for his part n is not interested in running for president.