Rugby: Investigation opened in Paris following accusations of lesbophobic remarks at Stade Français

The case is now moving into the courts. An investigation has been opened in Paris following a complaint by a manager of the women's section of the Stade Français rugby club against the club's sports director, who was accused of moral harassment and lesbophobic remarks, the prosecutor's office told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, May 27. The investigation has been entrusted to the Brigade for the Repression of Crimes Against Persons (BRDP).

After suffering what she considered "yet another humiliation" during the All Saints' Day holidays in the fall of 2024, Laura, 27, a volunteer director of the women's rugby team, first reported the matter to the French Rugby Federation (FFR) in December, a process she informed the Stade Français executive board of.

The FFR confirmed that it had received this report on its dedicated platform and that the French rugby disciplinary council had been notified. An internal investigation at Stade Français was also conducted, and in early January, the manager received a reprimand. However, according to Mediapart , which revealed the accusations a few weeks ago, the homophobic and sexist remarks, as well as the harassment, were not "held" against the sporting director.

Laura, who did not want to give her name, then filed a complaint in mid-January against the "disturbing, homophobic and sexist comments" she accuses the manager of making. On May 22, the players of the Pink Rockets, the women's team of Stade Français, called in a statement for the resignation of the sports director, whose words "contribute to a system of domination and exclusion" , and criticized the "inaction and attempts at cover-up" by the association's office. The latter affirmed to send "without restraint all our support to the victim of these acts" .

Suspended from his duties with the women's team since the beginning of January and the conclusion of the internal investigation, the sporting director has nevertheless retained the rest of his prerogatives within the association which manages the non-professional structure (youth and women's categories) of Stade Français, in parallel with the professional men's structure evolving in the Top 14.

"In the file that I am bringing to the Federation, there are six testimonies (from players), but you have to know that there are girls who did not dare to testify, for fear that it would tarnish their rugby career," Laura stressed, affirming that the manager threatened the players with "ruining" their careers if they left the club.