Leaders are calling for “real actions”and much more “just a communications plan”. The Bobigny rugby club (Seine-Saint-Denis) spoke out on Wednesday April 3 against the racist insults aimed at two of its players, during a match on Sunday in Lons, on the outskirts of Pau (Pyrénées- Atlantics).
“Enough is enough: our professional players are not the only ones affected by racism, even our cadets are insulted very regularly”denounced Vincent Gabrelle, secretary general of AC Bobigny 93 (ACB93), whose women’s section, the “Louves”, plays in Elite 1 (first women’s division), interviewed by Agence France-Presse.
According to him, the French Rugby Federation (FFR), through its anti-discrimination and equal treatment commission (Cadet), has “self-entry” of the question on Tuesday, and a meeting of the Cadet is to take place on Wednesday evening, during which “the subject of racist insults suffered by our players on and off the field will be raised”he clarified.
During the last French Women’s Rugby Cup match, which saw Bobigny’s victory (20-18) over the Béarn club, two players suffered racist insults. “One was referred to as “the short-haired African” and the other was called “dirty black””explained Mr. Gabrelle, specifying that players from the Bobigny Elite reserve team had already suffered racist insults two weeks previously.
“More than a communication plan” recalling that racism has no place in rugby, “we hope for real actions”, continued the leader. On Monday, his club denounced in a press release “disrespectful and racist comments heard on and off the field”without targeting “ the Lons club which has always welcomed us very well and which also works for more diversity in rugby”but “a handful of individuals who in no way represent the values of our sport. »
Interruption of meetings in the event of discriminatory acts
ACB93’s Instagram post was widely distributed, notably by French international Cameron Woki (Racing 92) and international Madoussou Fall (who played the second match of the Women’s Six Nations Tournament with Les Bleues on Saturday), both trained in Bobigny, putting this affair in the spotlight. The two clubs, who have discussed the subject since Sunday, wish ” turn on the light “ on these events, while calling for a “collective awareness. » For his part, Lons published a press release on his Facebook page, promising to “take the necessary and appropriate measures” following these insults.
In a press release published Tuesday, the FFR condemned “firmly the acts of racism observed during certain meetings”bringing “its support for the players and managers concerned”. Because the comments denounced by Bobigny are not the only ones. A week before the incident during the match between Lons and Louves, the Pantin club (Seine-Saint-Denis) denounced on his Instagram page the “chronicle of ordinary racism on the edge of the field”, after a meeting of its women’s junior section against another team from the Parisian outskirts.
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The FFR recalled on Tuesday that “any match official who witnesses discriminatory acts or incites discrimination (because of appearance, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), hatred or violence against of a person or group of people » can inform ” without delay “ the referee, “if he has not noticed it himself”. The referee can then interrupt the match and demand that all arrangements be made. “to put an end to the problem(s) noted”, the part not resuming “only after the facts have ceased”.
On Sunday, the Bobigny players did not react immediately, unaware that they had the right to inform the referee, said Vincent Gabrelle. “On the train back, we told the players that from now on, at the first racist comment, the captain would inform the referee, and at the second, they would leave the field”concluded the Balbynian leader.