French Rugby upset over player payments

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 34

French Rugby upset over player payments

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) PARIS. Charges of under-the-counter payments to leading players threaten to create a major scandal over alleged professionalism in French Rugby.

The storm burst over the suspension of the former French captain, M. Barrau, for angry comments by his father over the conditions imposed on his return to his original club, Beaumont de Lomagne. Barrau’s father, furious about what he calls the unfair treatment of his son, has threatened to tell everything he knows about under-the-table payments to top French players who change clubs. The French Rugby Federation president (Mr A. Ferrasse) replied that anyone who took or gave money will be out of Rugby for life, "starting with Barrau if he took money to move from Toulouse to Agen as his father has said.” No-one really doubts that top Rugby players receive incentives to change clubs in Paris. They are promised homes and jobs, as well as cash payments.

■ According to his father, a . prominent local businessman, Barrau was given cash 1 to move to Agen two years ago. And he sounded rueful ‘ when he added: “But no-one offered him a house, or anything like that.” The French federation appears eager to stamp out any suggestion of a profes- . sional-type transfer market j in Rugby. At the back of every French officials’ mind ; is the thought that, at the slightest suggestion of pro- , fessionalism, France might , again be barred by the international board, as it was for a period 40 years ago. And, if only for this reas son, it seems more than ’ likely that some form of ■ compromise will be worked ' out over the Barrau affair to « make sure Barrau senior : keeps quiet. “France Soir” summed up : the general feeling when it : said: “The confidence of the i British in their French partner is tied to an apparent, if not real, respect of amateurism. The playing ban

slapped on a French captain is already enough to make the international board frown. “But the revelation of the circumstances and reasons for the ban, and then a whole list of revelations from Max Barrau’s father, could lead to a break.” The federation quietly shelved the problem at its last meeting, hoping that by next month, when it meets again, tempers will have cooled and the whole matter can be glossed over as so often has happened in the past.