President of the French Rugby Federation and a candidate for the elections to be held on October 19, Florian Grill spoke about the Jegou-Auradou affair and the additional sanctions that could be imposed by the FFR.
While Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, two French XV players accused of aggravated gang rape of a 39-year-old woman in Argentina, will have to wait until next week to find out if their dismissal request is upheld, Florian Grill has returned to the business that has rocked French rugby in recent weeks. The current president of the FFR, candidate for re-election and opponent of Didier Codorniou, spoke at length with independent journalist Gauthier Baudin.
Florian Grill mentioned, in particular, the sanctions that the French Rugby Federation could impose on the two rugby players and in particular their presence before an independent disciplinary committee. “The reality is they weren't the only ones out that night. Did they follow the rule? The answer is no. They didn't follow the rule,” the 58-year-old began during this filmed interview. A rule enforced by one of the French XV players: “There's a tournament captain named Baptiste Serin who said 'around 1:30 or 2am, everybody goes home.' There are several players”. , including Auradou, Jegou and Jaminet who decided not to return to the hotel and who decided to go out.
But Florian Grill also testifies that these three players, including Melvyn Jaminet, suspended for 26 weeks by the FFR disciplinary committee following racist comments, “were not the only ones”. “I think they've already had the sanction and frankly no one would want to be in their shoes,” he continues. Before concluding: “We will see if they are convicted or not, I'm not a judge, not a lawyer, it's not for me to determine, but we add a penalty based on what they've already experienced, it will have a complete ridiculous side.”