Rugby: Stade Français players demand the resignation of a manager after homophobic remarks

Stade Français players called on Thursday for the resignation of the club's women's sports director, who has been accused of making lesbophobic and sexist remarks against several players and a manager, following revelations by Mediapart.

"These words (...) are not just slip-ups: they contribute to a system of domination and exclusion," denounces the players' statement published on social media, which calls for the "immediate resignation of the sporting director from all his functions within Stade Français" and criticizes the "inaction and attempts at cover-up" by the association's office.

The testimonies, which come from various players but also from Laura, a 27-year-old former player and volunteer director of the women's team , report homophobic insults, denigrating the sexuality of the players.

After suffering what she says was "further humiliation" last fall, Laura filed a complaint at a police station and made a report to the French Rugby Federation (FFR) in December.

The FFR confirmed to AFP that it had received this report on its dedicated platform and that the French rugby disciplinary council had been notified.

Stade Français announced last Saturday that it had reprimanded the sporting director following an internal investigation and declared "once again and without restraint, our full support for 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 Parisian club's sports association.

"We learned of the sanction - a reprimand - through a press release issued more than five months after the facts were reported," the players regret.

"We are completely incomprehensible about the lack of support from the association's board. No communication or information meeting has been held on the subject," denounced the press release from the Pink Rockets, the women's team of Stade Français.