Significant shortcomings in the French government’s oversight of the 2023 Rugby World Cup resulted in substantial financial losses, placing the French Rugby Federation in a challenging position, according to the state’s financial watchdog on Tuesday, April 8.
The French Court of Audit criticized Claude Atcher, the initial head of the tournament’s organizing committee, while also holding the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and the government accountable for their “major failures in the oversight they were supposed to provide to the organizing committee.”
Despite initial assurances that the event would yield considerable profits, it instead incurred significant financial losses, particularly for the FFR. “Everyone benefited, except the (French) organizers,” remarked Pierre Moscovici, the court’s president, during a press conference.
While the tournament was undeniably successful in terms of public engagement, media coverage, and sporting achievement, it is projected to result in financial losses nearing €29 million once all related legal matters are settled.
Moscovici noted that the financial objectives were not achieved, and the resources left for the future of rugby are nearly nonexistent. He also pointed out that the FFR made unrealistic promises to World Rugby to secure the tournament’s hosting rights.
The international federation reported that it “achieved the best financial outcome in its history” from the tournament, while the FFR incurred “a minimum loss of €19.2 million, escalating to €28.9 million,” according to Moscovici.
The government’s involvement in the organization only became significant in 2022, following a crisis within the organizing committee that led to Atcher’s removal due to concerns regarding his management approach.
Moscovici expressed his worry that “the French government lacks a clear and well-founded policy for assessing the conditions under which it offers its support” for hosting an international competition. He expressed hope that the recommendations from the oversight of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics would yield a report by June.
In a formal response to the report on the Rugby World Cup, Atcher asserted that “the disastrous management of the event following my exit cost French rugby nearly 50 million euros in potential revenue.”
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