France rugby chiefs ban alcohol at team gatherings

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has banned players from drinking alcohol during national team gatherings to help improve off-field discipline.

In July, France full-back Melvyn Jaminet was suspended for 34 weeks and fined 30,000 euros (£25,335) by the FFR after he posted a racist video on social media during the summer tour of Argentina.

His team-mates Hugo Auradou, and Oscar Jegou, both 21, were also charged with the aggravated rape of a 39-year-old woman during the same tour, which both deny.

“These are places where the players are there to try and develop their physical and tactical abilities to the best of their ability,” FFR vice president Jean-Marc Lhermet told reporters.

“The consumption of alcohol is not authorised in these places.”

One of the other 20 steps announced by the FFR is a proposal to introduce drug and alcohol testing, with no overnight visitors allowed in players’ rooms.

France head coach Fabien Galthie said the players backed the new measures.

“We did a questionnaire and all the players said yes,” he added. “It was a logical and coherent development in relation to what had happened.”

France play Japan, New Zealand and Argentina in their autumn internationals next month.