The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has decided to prohibit its athletes from consuming alcohol during national team gatherings. It aims to enhance discipline by doing so following numerous high-profile off-field controversies this year.
The FFR introduced a 20-step “performance plan” on Tuesday to help increase discipline. This includes drug and alcohol testing. Alcohol is prohibited in the National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis, stadiums and changing rooms.
FFR vice-president, Jean-Marc Lhermet, stated: “These are places where the players are there to try and develop their physical and tactical abilities to the best of their ability. The consumption of alcohol is not authorised in these places.”
This year, player Melvyn Jaminet received a 34-week ban and £24,924 fine due to a racist social media post, and Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou were arrested for alleged sexual assault. They both allegedly raped and attacked a woman. They were allowed to return to France this September after being placed under house arrest in Argentina. However, the charges against them, which they deny, remain.
Medhi Narjissi, Under-18 international player, was swept away by a rip tide during a recovery swimming session and his body has not been found. The disappearance was partly caused by a poorly organised recovery session, an investigation by the FFR has concluded.
Fabien Galthie, national team coach, stated that the athletes support the ban: “We did a questionnaire, and all the players said yes. It was a logical and coherent development in relation to what had happened.”
The Federation has also restricted guests who are not known to management, players or their family to communal areas in team hotels. It also desires to employ former players to act as “godfathers” and “godmothers” to players in the national youth sides so that they have good role models.
