The controversy born of Friday’s selection of Bastien Chalureau in the France team for the Rugby World Cup does not weaken, so much so that the second line of Montpellier, sentenced in 2020 for racist violence, has decided to take the speak this Monday, September 4. In tears, he refuted the accusations of racism.
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It is with tears in his eyes, and a shaky voice that the second line of the XV of France Bastien Chalureau, caught in a controversy a few days before the kick-off of the World Cup (September 8-October 28), assured on Monday that he was not racist “, again refuting the accusations. ” I wanted to speak to you to explain myself to all the teammates, my familyhe said, unable to hold back his tears. It doesn’t just affect me, it affects my family. That’s why I wanted to talk to you, to clarify things. I’m not racist, I’m a unifier. Rugby is a sport that brings together many communities, that’s what makes the beauty of this sport. »
The Montpellier player (31), called up to the France group on Friday to compensate for Paul Willemse’s absence due to injury, was sentenced in 2020 by the Toulouse criminal court to a six-month suspended prison sentence for ” acts of violence with the circumstance that these were committed because of the race or ethnicity of the victim “. He appealed against this judgment. Faced with the outcry since the announcement of his selection on Friday, the French Federation (FFR) announced that the player would speak before the end of the day.
Because World Rugby, the supreme body of world rugby, also took a position on Monday. ” Racism has no place in rugby “, reacted the director general of World Rugby, Alan Gilpin, while recalling that there existed in France a judicial principle, that of the presumption of innocence.
As such, Me Mendel, Chalureau’s lawyer, said Monday that the appeal hearing would take place in November in Toulouse, refusing to comment further. Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra estimated on Sunday that ” pending the final court decision, everyone must let justice do its job calmly, respecting the presumption of innocence “.
“Exemplary” with the XV of France
” The minister was able to speak with Florian Grill, president of the French Rugby Federation, and with Raphaël Ibanez, general manager of the Blues, who confirmed to her that an exchange had taken place on the subject between Bastien Chalureau and the staff. of the XV of France “, added a press release from the ministry sent to AFP.
” The Minister was able to ensure on this occasion that the player, who appealed against his conviction at first instance, maintains his version of the facts and still formally denies having made racist remarks, which is why he made this appeal. “.
Asked at a press conference on Sunday, the captain of the Blues Antoine Dupont said that the group was ” unaffected ” by the controversy and that Bastien Chalureau had “ always had an exemplary attitude, on and off the pitch “.
The facts date back to the end of January 2020. Chalureau is accused by two former rugby players of having assaulted them after an evening in Toulouse.
” We were going to get off in the Jean-Jaurès car park. I heard a person shouting ” it’s going the bougnoules ?” I turned around and I saw a strong guy (…) He continued his racist insults unceasingly. I wanted to turn around and he landed a punch with all his might in the jaw “, had told one of them, Yannick Larguet, in the columns of the regional daily The Midi Dispatch.
Three Blues victims of racism
Since his selection for the World Cup, the judicial past of the second line has been brought to the fore by several left-wing personalities. In a letter to Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, two rebellious deputies (LFI), François Piquemal and Thomas Portes, believe ” that at this stage of the judicial investigation, summoning the player was not relevant for the France team and its cohesion “.
” Remember that three other French internationals (Romain Taofifenua, Sékou Macalou and Sipili Falatea) were victims of racist comments last March about their presence in the France team from Internet users. “Add the two parliamentarians.
The Minister of Sports said for her part: that being selected for the France team means representing the republican values of equality and fraternity, therefore behaving accordingly and in particular combating all forms of violence and discrimination and the Minister knows the attachment of the coach, the players and the Federation to these principles “.
Born near Cazères-sur-Garonne (Haute-Garonne) where he started rugby, Chalureau was playing at the time of the attack at Stade Toulouse.
Following this brawl, he was laid off by Stade Toulousain and recruited by Montpellier, where he confirmed the hopes placed in him by winning his first title, the European Challenge, in June 2021, then that of champion of France in 2022.
Performances that opened the doors to the XV of France, where he has six selections since November 2022.
(With AFP)