Asia Rugby back Pichot for WR top job
Asia Rugby (AR) has extended their support to former Argentine Captain Agustin Pichot in his quest to become the World Rugby (WR) Chairman.
WR has stated that the results of the voting to be announced on May 12 with Pichot and incumbent President Bill Beaumont clashing for the position of Chairman, WR.
AR President Qais Abdulla Al Dhalai has already revealed that Pichot has his full support while he stated that he is disappointed Asia has been only allocated two votes out of the 51 votes in voting system.
“My guiding principles of equality, transparency and accountability were laid to bear when Asia Rugby allowed its individual Unions voice their own preferences unlike other regional associations whose Executive Committees usually made the determination on behalf of member unions.”
It is indeed unfortunate that a sport which aspires to be a global game to allows Asia’s 28 Unions to count for only two votes of the total of 51 votes on the World Rugby governance and voting system
“It is indeed unfortunate that a sport which aspires to be a global game to allows Asia’s 28 Unions to count for only two votes of the total of 51 votes on the World Rugby governance and voting system. This must change, and must change now if Rugby is to truly become a global sport,” he told AR official website. Although Beaumont is favoured to be re-elected, Pichot has expressed he is ‘optimistic’ about his chances.“i think it is going to be tough but I am an optimist, I strongly believe that it could happen. But I am doing this because I love the game. If it is okay, it is okay, but if it is not okay, it is fine, and I will carry on in rugby in some shape or form,” Pichot told Rugby Union weekly podcast.
Bill Beaumont meanwhile, stated that he is proud what WR has done over the past four years.
“I’m proud of what we as a sport have achieved over the last four years and I hope to spend the next four years building on these
successes,” he said on Twitter.