FFR Elections: “We need to restore order to the supervision and management of French teams,” says candidate Didier Codorniou

Didier Codorniou, 66 ans, brigue la présidence de la FFR. MAXPPP – SYLVIE CAMBON

Opposed to Florian Grill, "Codor" pleads for a rise in women's rugby, an increase in the number of licensees as well as better supervision in order to avoid certain excesses.

After the summer affairs, the candidate for the presidency of the French rugby federation Didier Codorniou assures that’we "need to restore order"in the supervision of the French teams. He also explained that rugby union and women's practice should concentrate most of the federation's efforts to increase the number of licensees. The vote begins Friday and ends Saturday.

What lessons can be learned from the events of this summer ?

You need a method, clarity and to be uncompromising. The third half is part of rugby's DNA. Except that society is changing. You have to adapt, like young people do. When young people go out clubbing, there is always a captain who is in charge and who assumes to be exemplary during the evening. There are methods, training modules and this requires good knowledge when there are trips to the territories where young players are perhaps coming for the first time. The liaison chief makes perfect sense. I remember having done quite a few tours […] we had people who accompanied us and had a certain authority over all the players. Over the last year and a half, two years, we have eliminated three positions. These three positions are lacking now. We need to put things in order in the supervision and management of the French teams.

How to increase the number of licensees ?

Competitive rugby must be a priority over recreational rugby. The fundamentals of rugby are still rugby fifteen […] It is not enough to distribute balls in schools to advance our sport. Women's rugby is experiencing a meteoric rise. If we want even more girls, even more young people, we need infrastructure, such as additional changing rooms. The infrastructure is currently very damaged, even obsolete.

How to find the funds to do it ?

We are able tomorrow, and we will show, to raise a hundred million euros (over the four-year mandate) by public and private partners with a contribution of three million per year from the FFR. We will be able to rehabilitate between 300 and 400 infrastructures, out of the 3,500 rugby installations. Society needs rugby, especially for living together. Sport succeeds where urban policy fails. We will be able to balance the budget in 2025, to bring in new partners.

What other priorities for your first days ?

It is already giving the clubs a voice and democratizing the French Rugby Federation with the Assises. From January to March-April, we will find a morning or a day throughout the national territory, to work on themes such as championships, dual licenses, health, problems related to illicit substances, secularism, training. The objective is to write the blue book of rugby for the next ten years. It is to initiate discussions with the Ministry of Sports to define a volunteer status. It is launching an awareness campaign for young players on sexist and sexual violence, the fight against racism, discrimination and the scourge of drugs.

Are you satisfied with the support of Bernard Laporte, who resigned as head of the FFR in January 2023 ?

I need to have people who supported Bernard Laporte and I need to have people who supported Florian Grill. It would be stupid to do without it. I have always been free. I claim this freedom of tone. French rugby suffers from clan wars. I am not from any clan, neither Laporte nor any other. My commitment is intended to be soothing.