French rugby chief Bernard Laporte quits role after conviction / Photo: FRANCK FIFE - AFP/File
-
Dawn of War 4 developers chose Adeptus Mechanicus for tactical variety
-
New Zealand and Tonga meet for place in Rugby League World Cup final
-
Italy face unbeaten South Africa in Turin Nations Championship match
-
Reports of unsafe AI-toy responses renew calls for child-safety rules
-
ChatGPT interactive interface feature tested across six custom tools
-
Juneau food network combines difficult supply routes with deep sharing traditions
-
Freshways milk-price cut deepens pressure on UK dairy farms
-
India climbs green-transition ranking after first emissions decline in 25 years
-
Labour and National remain virtually tied as New Zealand vote count advances
-
Trump names Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff after midterm losses
-
The Good Daughter adapts Karin Slaughter thriller with Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy
-
Restored Albanian tower houses anchor new rural tourism trail
-
Heavy-lift drone evacuates wounded Ukrainian soldier from frontline kill zone
-
Sonia Gandhi reflects on family tragedy and reluctant political career
-
Morrison says West Brom recovered after pressure from successive derby losses
-
Pope Leo begins three-country South American tour in Uruguay
-
Britain considers 2027 state visit for Ukraine’s Zelensky
-
Khawaja says entire Australia camp knew of 2018 ball-tampering plan
-
Anna Miltina Confronted with Racism Allegations on ProSieben Show
-
November Foraging Guide: Edible Mushrooms and Critical Safety Protocols
-
German Auto Giants Face Existential Crisis as China Sales Plummet
-
Microsoft Updates Xbox PC App with 60% Faster Startup and Redesigned Interface
-
Cause of Death Revealed for 'Ellen' Producer Matthew Wright
-
Early Polar Vortex Disruption Creates Uncertain Winter Outlook for Pennsylvania
-
Fusion Power, Global Capital, Branded Streaming and Neurology Breakthroughs: New to The Street Show #779 Premieres Tonight on Bloomberg Television
-
DEA Marijuana Rescheduling Hearing Closes With Government Not Meeting Its Burden Of Proof?
-
How to Enjoy Luxury Experiences on a Budget
-
Edmund Richardson Wins Baillie Gifford Prize for 'Alexander' Biography
-
Pakistan Demands Grant-Based Climate Finance at COP31 to Avoid Debt Trap
French rugby chief Bernard Laporte quits role after conviction
Bernard Laporte on Friday resigned his role as president of France's rugby union federation after being convicted of corruption, the sports minister said.
"I can confirm that Bernard Laporte has resigned," Amelie Oudea-Castera told reporters after a meeting of the federation's top officials at its headquarters in Marcoussis near Paris.
Laporte, 58, who as coach guided France to the World Cup semi-finals in 2003 and 2007, received a two-year suspended prison sentence in December.
A court found he had shown favouritism in awarding a shirt sponsorship contract for the national side to Mohed Altrad, the billionaire owner of Top 14 champions Montpellier.
The affair has clouded France's preparations to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the sport's global showpiece event, which kicks off on September 8.
Laporte, a charismatic but sometimes abrasive figure who had been at the helm of French rugby since 2016, had already stepped down from his role as vice-chairman of the sport's global governing body, World Rugby.
In addition to his suspended prison sentence he was banned in December from holding any rugby post for two years, but this is suspended pending an appeal.
Laporte had already stood down from his job pending Friday's meeting.
His proposal to appoint Patrick Buisson as interim president was rejected after a vote by French clubs on Thursday.
On Tuesday Laporte was released without charge after being detained earlier in the day as part of an investigation into an unrelated alleged tax fraud.
Ch.Havering--AMWN
