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French Sports Minister: Our credibility is at stake over COVID mess

French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu says the credibility of sport in the country is at stak...



French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu says the credibility of sport in the country is at stake with the COVID-19 scandal engulfing the international rugby side.

On Sunday night, French Rugby Federation (FFR) president Bernard Laporte confirmed the long-circulated rumour that head coach Fabien Galthié had left their COVID-secure bubble.

Galthié was one of the first among a string of players and officials in the French camp to test positive for coronavirus.

The outbreak led to the postponement of Sunday's proposed Six Nations game with Scotland.

The revelation that Galthié had left the bubble to watch his son play rugby came barely 48-hours after Laporte told French TV, "Did he break the rules? Based on what I've been told, no."

Despite the breach, Galthié retains the full support of Laporte.

Maracineanu had already called for an internal investigation into the matter.

Speaking to RMC Sport on Monday evening, the Sports Minister said, "This is why, at first, I wanted to have explanations from Bernard Laporte, which will be presented to me in the middle of the week.

"It [the report] is essential, because, for my part, I fight every day so that the high-level and professional competitions can take place

"And we cannot afford to have flaws in the safety protocols put forward.

"Because it effects the credibility of the case we present to the

"Because it depends on the credibility of what we present to the inter-ministerial COVID Crisis Unit, and the authorisations and exceptions that we manage to obtain for high-level sport, and for professional sport."

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Bernard Laporte Fabien Galthie France Roxana Maracineanu Scotland Serge Simon Six Nations