PARIS – Police raided the headquarters of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) yesterday as part of an investigation into alleged conflict of interest involving the federation’s president Bernard Laporte, a source close to the matter said.
The police search was first reported by the L’Equipe newspaper. The source confirmed the operation and said Laporte’s home had also been searched.
Laporte, a former France coach and sports minister, denies allegations he put pressure on the rugby federation’s appeals board to reduce sanctions against Top 14 side Montpellier.
Montpellier are owned by Syrian-born scaffolding billionaire Mohad Altrad, with whom Laporte’s company BL Communication had a business relationship.
Calls to the rugby federation’s spokeswoman went unanswered, and attempts by Reuters to contact an FFR official who worked with Laporte on promoting a bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup were also unsuccessful.
There was no immediate reaction to the raids from Laporte.