Claude Atcher: “A community of interests against me”, the former boss of the Rugby World Cup opens up

Claude Atcher s’est confié après la sortie de son livre. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

The former boss of the 2023 World Cup, Claude Atcher, has just written a book where he gives his version of his layoff. He does not take it lightly and castigates all those who have betrayed him, from the outside as well as from the inside.

You've been called into question quite a bit in recent months. What were your objectives in publishing this book ?

It’s a form of therapy to write, even if it’s not my specialty. I wanted to put the facts in order to understand them better because I left the GIP without understanding what had happened. I also wanted to describe a community of interests, I am not saying conspiracy, which had an interest in my departure.

But who could you be bothering so much ?

Florian Grill is a central character in this affair. He has one obsession, to become president of the FFR. With this, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra arrives, who has supported Mr. Grill since 2020. So the elimination of Bernard Laporte favored the election of Mr. Grill thanks to exceptional circumstances. AOC still called Bernard Laporte to make him resign and all that to get his foal elected. Florian Grill needed to get his hands on the organization of the World Cup to destabilize Bernard Laporte and have arguments to get elected.

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You mention internal forces that would have wanted to destabilize you within the GIP…

In November 2021, I had to part ways with a very competent colleague because I was alerted to the fact that one of his colleagues was complaining of sexual harassment. And I need to recruit someone to replace him. A replacement is arriving on the advice of the FFR, I am not suspicious. I learned later that everyone was happy to see him go. I was naive. He was not organized or rigorous, he only wanted to meet politicians. He let files slide for which I was criticized. The first mentioned set up a cabal against me by associating his replacement and other collaborators. Jacques Rivoal, president of the GIP who had never done anything, began to explain to everyone how to organize a World Cup. I had the impression that these people, internally, were being “made up” by someone. I found myself betrayed by all my lieutenants who testified against me.

"With Bernard Laporte, France would not have been eliminated"

And if we listen to you, a third force comes to hit you, coming from outside…

Yes, World Rugby. We, French, are only tolerated by the Anglo-Saxon world. Bernard Laporte arrived in this environment like an elephant in a china shop. Bill Beaumont is not my friend. The people at World Rugby jumped at the opportunity of the minister sending the ethics committee report (even though I did not read it). Alan Gilpin, the general manager, a Bill Beaumont man, immediately wrote to Bernard Laporte and Jacques Rivoal to fire me immediately. This Gilpin, I wrote him a check for 285 million euros, and every week he wanted me to pay something more.

Okay, but there is the story of the price paid to organize the World Cup. You proposed 82 million euros for hospitality rights. This is considered delusional, you are open to criticism on this issue, no?

It’s Mr. Grill who says that. Without this outbidding, we would never have won the World Cup. But no one ever made a comment on this until June 2023. Neither Deloitte, nor the FFR, nor the inspectors. A turnover from February 2023 attests to this. What happened after that? Yes, Daimani Company returned unsold hospitality tickets. But there was a bank guarantee, a court ruled and therefore this guarantee will be activated.

Then, RWC had pre-empted a room at the Stade de France to sell 28,000 packages, I didn't want them to give them back if they didn't sell them. After my departure, they returned half of it, which caused a net loss for the GIP of between 4 and 6 million euros. This thing wouldn't have happened with me.

Also read: Former director of France 2023 Claude Atcher targeted by investigation for moral harassment

The third reason is the elimination of France. We can think that because of this, the GIE did not fulfill its objectives. I always thought that with Bernard Laporte as president, France would not have been eliminated. But I have heard announcements of enormous losses, up to 25 million, that is a lie since the accounts have not been finalized. If the bank guarantee is recovered there will be no damage.

But this saving guarantee, some say that it was your successor, Mr. Colette who added it to the initial contract…

I have documents that prove otherwise. They are signed by me.

Link with the Altrad-Laporte affair

Reading you, you have been wrongly linked to the Altrad-Laporte affair.

In a report from the Public Prosecutor dated December 21, 2021, it is written that I have nothing to do with this matter. But the same Prosecutor came back to my lawyer to say that finally, through the company Score rsquo;have nothing to do with the Altrad-Laporte affair.

If I had committed crimes, I would have dealt with a traditional criminal court, I would have had nothing to do with a case managed by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office. And justice ruled in my favor, I was acquitted with the exception of a fine of 5,000 euros for a story of non-declaration of statuses to time. But the start of my weakening dates from there, articles came out in May-June 2022, taking advantage of my summons to court. You could say I was a thug.

We have the impression that you encountered a pitfall with Nicolas Hourquet. Don't you regret certain things in your daily dealings with him ? This is what generated the accusations about your so-called "toxic" management which resulted in your dismissal.

In my management, I missed certain things. But I don't recognize harassment, mind you. But I admit, I am demanding in my work. There may have been misunderstanding with young people who have a different relationship to work. But back to Nicolas Hourquet, if I had listened to the FFR, I would not have taken it. I was told it was unreliable. I didn't want to listen, I met a tortured boy who wanted to show his father that he could succeed in rugby. I take him with me, I train him, but I don't see that he is fragile. But a few days before the altercation of March 22, 2022 that we talked about, he sent me a message: "You are my second dad& ;quot;.

That day, I didn't see that he was at the end of his nerves, it was a regret, I should have been more attentive, I had lost my father, it was early , he was in a fragile psychological state for personal reasons. Yes, for me, it’s a regret.

Your work ends with letters written directly to those who betrayed you. You go hard by accusing them of serious things, you take responsibility for what you say ?

My book came out a month late because it was proofread by lawyers. I assume. I give the name of the man who was accused of sexual harassment by a colleague. Where he now works, he says that I actually separated from him to hide the offenses I committed. It’s too much. In any case, there is a police investigation into this.

You also describe quite serious facts about Mr. Rivoal in his former employment, saying that a trial awaits him. But he is not the subject of any legal proceedings on this subject… hellip; Don't you go too far?

I refer you to a well-documented Express article which cites a gendarmerie report. And I tell you that a collective procedure with judicial information has been relaunched in this case.