French rugby chief Laporte quizzed in financial probe

Questioned as part of a three-year financial investigation, French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte angrily compared the move yesterday to a coup ten days before his re-election contest.

France’ s national financial prosecution office confirmed Laporte, businessman Mo red A lt rad, and three other senior officials in French rugby were being questioned as part of a preliminary inquiry opened in 2017.

The inquiry is looking into suspected conflicts of interest between Laporte –formerly the national coach and sports minister in France’ s government –and Altrad, whose multinational construction equipment firm is a federation sponsor.

Lap or te, pictured, denounced the pre - election timing as a “revolting” tactic, in a letter to French rugby clubs published on his verified Facebook page. “It’ s obvious that I am angry,” Laporte wrote to the clubs. “They attempt by unbelievable means to steal this election from you.”

Leader of the federation since 2016, Lapor te faces an election contest against one opponent, F lori an Grill. Votes are cast on 2-3 October.

Laporte, who is also vice chairman of World Rugby, said the investigators refused to delay interro - gating him, citing difficulties in coordinating their schedules.

“There was objectively no longer any urgency to hear from me before the election,” he wrote, claiming the refusals were “unworthy” of the justice system in a country such as France.

La port es aid he had “nothing to rep roach myself for” in a case that alleges he intervened in a disciplinary case to benefit Altrad’s club, Montpellier.

The Paris-based financial prosecution office said the other officials being questioned were Serge Simon, Claude Atcher and Nico - las Hourquet. Simon is the F FR vice president, and Atcher is CEO of the 2023 Rugby World Cup organising committee.