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FFRXIII president interview

Storm13

Juniors
Messages
1,606
On one of those other forums from the French posters it didn't seem to encouraging with regards of missing money. Seems like they're on the back foot to begin with. I could be wrong though.
 

miguel de cervantes

First Grade
Messages
7,468
- Start by trying to understand what happened with the last group, notably finances
- Waiting for the final financial summary, first look, worrying signs, rumours of 300,000€ debt but too soon to talk numbers
- WIll try to reduce the financial pressure on clubs, lower insurance costs, no transfer fees, lower equipment costs
- Working on the provincial championship pre-season comp
- Working on "state of origin" concept, split east and west
- Looking for a french national team coach. each month french team will meet in Perpignan for training, 17 candidates for coach, 22nd October against England in Avignon first challenge
- World Cup - concentrate on beating Lebanon
- TOXIII playing in English championship is a good thing, doesn't weaken French championship.
- Spoke of group Objective League who are working on the creation of a larger footprint for league in France via a big city championship.
 

miguel de cervantes

First Grade
Messages
7,468
In a more recent interview, Palanques has evoked his desire to see two French national teams playing internationals (ie a France A), as well as the Top 5 French clubs playing matches against clubs from other nations. Can't complain about that.
 

Storm13

Juniors
Messages
1,606
There is a post on Facebook from the FFR with their president in which they are in discussions I assume with the Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Papua and Russia. I wonder what that could be all about???
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
Google translate comes up with "meeting to make new contacts for International trade". Could mean anything really, or a number of things. A potential Pacific tour could be in the works, but where does Russia come in? A partnership to get the best Russians in to Elite would be good...
 

Storm13

Juniors
Messages
1,606
Seems like the rumours of the federation being 200,000 in the red were true and that's why the womans team isn't going to the WC.
 
Messages
11,354
http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_24442-french-rl-facing-financial-black-hole.html


The French Rugby League Federation (FFR13) has revealed that the organisation made a €200,000 loss for the French financial year from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

FFR13 president Marc Palanques has confirmed that the organisation knew about the financial hole in the summer, but could not go public with it.

In a statement on the FFR's official website, Palanques also revealed that financial issues had placed the participation of France in the World Cup next year in serious doubt.

His statement reads:

"At the end of the Financial General Meeting of December 17, 2016, the Federation Francaise de Rugby a XIII informs you:

"The public accounting firm and the auditors selected by the previous Federation team confirmed the loss of 204,275 euros for the fiscal year from 1/07/2015 to 30/06/2016.

"As a reminder, the former president had announced a profit at the congress of Montpellier in June 2016.

"The holding of this assembly and the subsequent vote enable us today to communicate on the consequences of this abysmal and very serious loss for a federation like ours.

"As soon as I was elected on July 2,2016, I immediately expressed my deep concern at a loss of around €250,000 and was forced to take a number of decisions that called for quick and painful trade-offs, especially for a former player like me, who had been denied a World Cup in Australia during his career.

"The question of the participation of the French men's team in the 2017 World Cup has also arisen from this summer, and it is in this shadow and behind the scenes that the financial negotiations were conducted (away from the spotlight of the media, some of whom did not bring us any support, and the same ones are now quick to disparage once again our sport, and our will to come together)."

The financial situation means that the France Women's, Students and Wheelchair teams will not now participate in their respective World Cups next year.

The FFR13 has taken steps to mitigate the shock of this announcement, with the Wheelchair RL World Cup looking set to be relocated to France, and a European Women's tournament also being organised.

"If the Wheelchair RL World Cup will not be played in Australia, it is in France in the summer of 2017 that the nations of the will meet in the context of the RLWC 2017," said Palanques.

"This World Cup in France has been achieved by the determination and the will of an entire team.

"If the women do not go to Australia, it is in France that we will try to organize a European Tournament, with several teams already lined up, and which will take place in June 2017."

Palanques was also failry scathing about the previous regime at the FFR13, stating:

"We learn today, through statements in a newspaper, that a specific bank account would have been opened by the previous regime in order to participate in this World Cup.

"Receipts [show] there is nothing visible in the account, which has now been stopped.

"It is only spending and loss that the regime now in place is forced to manage, with a rigor and an urgency that is equal only to the gravity of the situation."

Palanques also called on all elements of the game in France to come together and work as hard as possible to make the game succeed across the Channel.

"We understand the disappointment of some, because we have had to accept a situaion which has been imposed on us, we have had to measure the catastrophic financial situation of a destitute Federation, which was spending money that it didn't have.

"Rugby league is on the rise, and our TV audience rating for the Test Match between France and England are testament to this.

"The FFR13 is preparing to innovate, to invent or to create whenever the vicissitudes or the legacy of an expensive presidency leave us little room (or in this case not at all) for the promotion or smooth running of our national team, or international sporting events.

"We have known this truth since I became president, but we were not allowed to share it with you until today.

"But, we are all competitors and we love rugby league above all, so TOGETHER let's do everything possible to not see the game being soiled, rebuffed and penalised by lies or defamation."
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,051
If France don't attend the WC then this game will be a total laughing stock. A WC where the 4th or 5th ranking nation can't afford to participate...!!?? It was my intention to go and see Australia and France in Canberra but f*** it if the Cup is going to be a farce. Let's not forget who the RLWC is now named after..
 
Messages
11,354
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
images

Papa Giuseppi
 

LeagueXIII

First Grade
Messages
5,965
If France don't attend the WC then this game will be a total laughing stock. A WC where the 4th or 5th ranking nation can't afford to participate...!!?? It was my intention to go and see Australia and France in Canberra but f*** it if the Cup is going to be a farce. Let's not forget who the RLWC is now named after..

Cool your jets....they will be there.

It's only their womens and student teams that won't be attending their respective tournaments. Also the wheelchair team however that tournament is being played in France so they can attend.
 

IntRLEnthusiast

Juniors
Messages
127
I think they have worded it badly.. i don't think that this is how they would announce it.. the rest of the article seems to focus on the smaller world cups and not the actual world cup.
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_24442-french-rl-facing-financial-black-hole.html


The French Rugby League Federation (FFR13) has revealed that the organisation made a €200,000 loss for the French financial year from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

FFR13 president Marc Palanques has confirmed that the organisation knew about the financial hole in the summer, but could not go public with it.

In a statement on the FFR's official website, Palanques also revealed that financial issues had placed the participation of France in the World Cup next year in serious doubt.

His statement reads:

"At the end of the Financial General Meeting of December 17, 2016, the Federation Francaise de Rugby a XIII informs you:

"The public accounting firm and the auditors selected by the previous Federation team confirmed the loss of 204,275 euros for the fiscal year from 1/07/2015 to 30/06/2016.

"As a reminder, the former president had announced a profit at the congress of Montpellier in June 2016.

"The holding of this assembly and the subsequent vote enable us today to communicate on the consequences of this abysmal and very serious loss for a federation like ours.

"As soon as I was elected on July 2,2016, I immediately expressed my deep concern at a loss of around €250,000 and was forced to take a number of decisions that called for quick and painful trade-offs, especially for a former player like me, who had been denied a World Cup in Australia during his career.

"The question of the participation of the French men's team in the 2017 World Cup has also arisen from this summer, and it is in this shadow and behind the scenes that the financial negotiations were conducted (away from the spotlight of the media, some of whom did not bring us any support, and the same ones are now quick to disparage once again our sport, and our will to come together)."

The financial situation means that the France Women's, Students and Wheelchair teams will not now participate in their respective World Cups next year.

The FFR13 has taken steps to mitigate the shock of this announcement, with the Wheelchair RL World Cup looking set to be relocated to France, and a European Women's tournament also being organised.

"If the Wheelchair RL World Cup will not be played in Australia, it is in France in the summer of 2017 that the nations of the will meet in the context of the RLWC 2017," said Palanques.

"This World Cup in France has been achieved by the determination and the will of an entire team.

"If the women do not go to Australia, it is in France that we will try to organize a European Tournament, with several teams already lined up, and which will take place in June 2017."

Palanques was also failry scathing about the previous regime at the FFR13, stating:

"We learn today, through statements in a newspaper, that a specific bank account would have been opened by the previous regime in order to participate in this World Cup.

"Receipts [show] there is nothing visible in the account, which has now been stopped.

"It is only spending and loss that the regime now in place is forced to manage, with a rigor and an urgency that is equal only to the gravity of the situation."

Palanques also called on all elements of the game in France to come together and work as hard as possible to make the game succeed across the Channel.

"We understand the disappointment of some, because we have had to accept a situaion which has been imposed on us, we have had to measure the catastrophic financial situation of a destitute Federation, which was spending money that it didn't have.

"Rugby league is on the rise, and our TV audience rating for the Test Match between France and England are testament to this.

"The FFR13 is preparing to innovate, to invent or to create whenever the vicissitudes or the legacy of an expensive presidency leave us little room (or in this case not at all) for the promotion or smooth running of our national team, or international sporting events.

"We have known this truth since I became president, but we were not allowed to share it with you until today.

"But, we are all competitors and we love rugby league above all, so TOGETHER let's do everything possible to not see the game being soiled, rebuffed and penalised by lies or defamation."

How is France RL recovering from the 200 euro debt a few years ago ?
 
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