Suspected of financial embezzlement, Claude Atcher, former general director of the Rugby World Cup placed in police custody then released

The former general director of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Claude Atcher, was taken into police custody on Tuesday and Wednesday in Paris. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

The former general director of the Rugby World Cup in France was placed in police custody on Tuesday May 14 and Wednesday May 15 before being released. He is suspected of financial embezzlement. 

The former general director of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Claude Atcher, was taken into police custody on Tuesday and Wednesday in Paris, a source close to the matter told l& #39;AFP. The ex-rugby strongman, aged 68, was released without prosecution at this stage, according to this source. He was questioned by gendarmes from the Paris Research Section, as Le Canard chainé revealed on Tuesday.

His lawyers, Mes Emmanuel Moyne and Geoffroy Goubin, did not respond to requests from the AFP. His police custody took place as part of the investigation opened in October 2022 by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) for favoritism, influence peddling, corruption, illegal taking of interests and illegal sale of places. Investigations "continue", underlined the source close to the matter. The affair began in the summer of 2022.< /p>

"Management by terror"

In June, the sports daily L'Equipe revealed anonymous testimonies within the Public Interest Group (GIP) France 2023, under the influence of a "management by terror" attributed to Claude Atcher and his chief of staff. The Ministry of Sports then referred the matter to the labor inspectorate.

Furthermore, the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) issue a report on different elements: past contracts, ticket office and vehicles at Mr. Atcher's disposal… Which led to the opening of an investigation at the PNF.

Moral harassment

At the same time, the Paris prosecutor's office also opened an investigation for moral harassment. In the turmoil, Claude Atcher was first dismissed as a precautionary measure, then dismissed from office ;#39;issue of a GIP board meeting on October 10.

From the beginning, Mr. Atcher has vigorously contested. In a book published at the end of March and entitled "In the Shadow of the Cup& ;quot; (En Exergue Editions), he settles his accounts and describes the "empty" d&# 39;some "extreme violence" after his dismissal.

He also relaunched his legal offensive at the end of March, after having suffered the dismissal of two complaints against ;#39;investigate the conditions of his revocation.

"I need to know what happened", had- he explained to AFP at the end of March. "If I'm guilty of things, I'm willing to pay the price, but I want investigations".