Sacked Rugby World Cup 2023 chief claims 'vast smear campaign' led to his removal

The sacked head of the organising committee for next year’s Rugby World Cup has dismissed serious accusations against him as a “vast smear campaign” and denounced the “sham proceedings” that led to his removal.

Lawyers for Claude Atcher, who was dismissed as France 2023 chief executive last month amid investigations into an allegations he presided over a “climate of terror”, also proclaimed their client had been the target of “judicial and media harassment” since the claims emerged in June.

In a lengthy statement issued almost three weeks after French prosecutors searched the headquarters of the organising committee as part of an investigation into alleged corruption triggered by the investigation that led to Atcher’s sacking, his legal counsel said: “The Inspection Générale des Finances, the Ministry of Finance’s auditing and supervisory body, questioned Claude Atcher, giving him the opportunity, for the first time, to deny the particularly serious and unfounded allegations made against him regarding his management of GIP [Groupement d’Interet Public] France 2023.

"Claude Atcher denounces the smear campaign targeting him since last June, leading to his eviction from GIP France 2023 at the end of improper and unfounded proceedings.

“This investigation is part of a vast smear campaign against Claude Atcher, continuously and skilfully orchestrated in the media. It began last June with an article in L’Equipe, leading to his eviction from the GIP France 2023 based on strongly disputed allegations, following proceedings marred by serious improprieties.

“We would like to point out that Claude Atcher was the victim of the abusive termination of his employment contract, notified on 10 October, for alleged grounds of ‘harassment’. This termination was the result of sham proceedings and a report by the Labour Inspectorate (“Inspection du Travail”) ordered by the Minister of Sports.

“This report was drawn up without the questioning of Claude Atcher by the Labour inspectorate, despite his request. The GIP has provided inaccurate and erroneous facts and statements, based on anonymous accusations, and taken out of context.

“This early termination is in fact solely the result of proceedings marred by serious improprieties, carried out by the GIP France 2023, in contempt of the rules of labour law, defence rights and respect of fundamental freedoms.

“Claude Atcher referred the matter to the Labour Tribunal to challenge both the proceedings and the grounds for the termination of his employment contract and compel the GIP to respect his legal and contractual rights.

“Ultimately, Claude Atcher is the target of a judicial and media harassment which has not ceased to grow since last June, and the motives of which remain questionable. We call on the judiciary to be extremely vigilant in the face of this case, in which the most basic rights of defence are violated, jeopardising the reputation of a man in the absence of any evidence.”

L’Equipe reported how employees of France 2023 had suffered panic attacks and burn-out amid allegations of humiliating verbal abuse. Among 15 testimonies was an account of a victim wetting themselves out of shock.

The France 2023 board of directors ruled at an extraordinary session meeting that Atcher, who had already been suspended, should be permanently dismissed.