Toulon President Mourad Boudjellal has refused to pay an EPCR fine of €75,000 for the offensive comments he made in light of Toulon centre Matheiu Bastareaud’s three-week suspension earlier this year for verbally abusing a Benetton Treviso player in last season’s Champions Cup.
The outspoken Toulon chief told reporters after Bastareaud was cited by the EPCR that he was ‘not homophobic but that calling someone a fagg*t had become customary to him during an altercation’ and that he ‘feared the mormon side of EPCR with the Welsh and the Irish’.
He added: “They’re people who sell morality even though they don’t possess any. The same who have ministers who get whipped in private but portray themselves as ‘clean’ in public.”
The EPCR conducted an independent disciplinary committee hearing into misconduct complaints against Boudjellal and Toulon earlier this month and concluded that the Toulon owner had “made comments that (among other things) allegedly condoned homophobic conduct, discriminated against and insulted various groups, and brought the game of rugby into disrepute by attacking, disparaging and criticising EPCR.”
The 58-year-old was fined €75,000, with a further €25,000 suspended for three years for any similar offence or misconduct, for his remarks while Toulon were were also hit with a five-point points deduction for EPCR tournaments, to be enforced in the case of ‘any similar offending or misconduct by the club or any of its representatives in any rugby jurisdiction’ in the next three seasons.’
Boudjellal responded to the sanctions by telling French publication that he was tired of the harassment and that he intends to sue the EPCR.
“I will not appeal, I will not pay and I will sue for defamation,” Boudjellal told Midi Olympique. “I will not let this accusation of homophobia go and I am tired of this harassment.”
Toulon will play Montpellier, Edinburgh and the Newcastle Falcons in next season’s Champions Cup Pool stages.
The three-time champions advanced to the quarter-final stages of last year’s competition before they were dumped form the tournament by Munster.
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