Rugby federation ethics body demands Laporte resign as French rugby president: source

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) ethics committee piled pressure on disgraced president Bernard Laporte on Friday demanding he resign, a source with knowledge of the case told AFP confirming a report in L'Equipe newspaper.

Laporte received a two-year suspended prison sentence on corruption charges on Tuesday just nine months before France hosts the sport's showpiece event the World Cup.

He was also banned from holding any rugby post for two years, but this is suspended pending an appeal.

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He stepped down from his role as vice-chairman of the sport's global governing body, World Rugby, pending a review by the body's ethics officer.

However, he steadfastly refused to stand down as president of the FFR -- a role he was first elected to in 2016 and was re-elected to in a tight contest in 2020.

According to the source, the ethics committee reached their decision the day after the conviction and sent a letter explaining their reasoning to both Laporte and to France's Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera.

She had been quick off the mark following the court ruling in stating the sentence was an "obstacle for Bernard Laporte to be able, as it stands, to continue his mission in good conditions" as federation president.

The ethics committee's decision follows the call on Thursday by The French rugby union league (LNR) for the FFR to hold elections.

Laporte, 58, was convicted of showing favouritism in awarding a shirt sponsorship contract for the national side to Mohed Altrad, the billionaire owner of Top 14 champions Montpellier.

It goes back to February 2017, when they signed a deal under which Laporte agreed to appear at Altrad group