One year from the Rugby World Cup in France, the time is still not for serenity behind the scenes. Claude Atcher, the director general of the organization of the competition, was dismissed on Monday October 10 by the Board of Directors of the GIP, the public interest group in charge of the World Cup. Atcher, a great architect of obtaining this World Cup in France, was laid off at the end of August.
What was Claude Atcher’s role?
Already technical director of the 2007 World Cup, the 66-year-old is one of the main architects, long in the shadows, of the French Rugby Federation. The Aveyronnais was the red thread of the organization of the event. Director of the candidacy of France until the choice of World Rugby in December 2017, then general manager of France 2023, Atcher is the person who personifies this World Cup.
Press release – Information on the governance of France 2023.
Statement – Information on the France 2023 Organizing Committee’s governance.
https://t.co/l4ISNNbnRO#RWC2023
– Rugby World Cup France 2023 (@France2023) October 11, 2022
What is he accused of?
Claude Atcher was singled out by a first salvo of revelations from the newspaper L’Equipe on June 22 on the working conditions and the atmosphere within the Organizing Committee of the World Cup. Two reports, one from the Ethics Committee and one from the labor inspectorate, point to staff management “by fear”. The ethics committee denounces “alarming managerial practices altering the functioning of the structure and the state of suffering of a certain number of collaborators“.
Pressure, harassment, repeated burnout… The facts are overwhelming, and prompted the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, to announce her layoff “as a precaution” on Monday August 29. Before seeing his fixed-term contract be “terminated early, for serious misconduct“Monday evening following an emergency GIP Board of Directors.
What are his links with Bernard Laporte and Mohed Altrad?
Claude Atcher is considered one of the closest followers of Bernard Laporte, current president of the French Rugby Federation and former coach of the XV of France. Atcher had notably participated in Bernard Laporte’s campaign for the head of the FFR at the end of 2016. Since then, the businessman – his company Score XV to whom the Federation has entrusted several missions in recent years – has remained one of the most important characters. most influential tricolor rugby.
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Claude Atcher is also on the dock in the case of influence peddling and corruption around Bernard Laporte and Mohed Altrad, and will be fixed on his fate on December 13th. The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office has requested a two-year prison sentence (one of which is suspended), a three-year ban on managing a commercial company and a one-year ban on any function, even voluntary, in connection with rugby, all accompanied by a fine of 50,000 euros. Atcher is also involved in an investigation for undue VTC costs that he would have brought to France-2023.
What are the consequences for the 2023 World Cup?
A new management team has been appointed to head the World Cup organizing committee with Julien Collette, the new captain on board. Collette, former assistant to Claude Atcher, had acted for the time of the sidelining of his former superior. He will be surrounded by Martine Nemecek as deputy director with the stated objective “continued preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup with the highest level of professionalism, in a calm social climate“according to a statement from the body.
In an investigation by L’Equipe, a former member of the GIP assured that “today everything is on track, the 48 matches of the World Cup will be delivered, it is a certainty“. The direction of the GIP had indicated, following the first article of the national daily newspaper that “without Mr. Atcher, without his authority and his leadership, it is practically impossible to organize this World Cup“. However, this is what will happen, as the start of the competition is set for September 8, 2023.