Three years in prison, including one firm, were requested on Tuesday by the prosecution against Bernard Laporte and Mohed Altrad, suspected of having entered into a “corruption pact” in 2017. Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi, the lawyer of the president of the FFR, calls himself “serene” and “zen” like his client. He explains himself for RMC Sport.
Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi, how do you welcome the sentences requested by the prosecution?
The requisitions can be quite shocking in their magnitude: suspended prison sentence in a case of this nature, prohibition to continue one’s professional activity for two years… It seems surreal. But this is not necessarily my opinion since we are currently in a configuration where attacks on probity are severely sanctioned. The requisitions do not surprise me from the moment the prosecutors place themselves in a state where they consider that the offenses have been committed. The whole problem is that we know that the offenses have not been committed and I think that the lawyers will show that the offences, in particular the most infamous ones of corruption, have not been committed. We are quite zen. It is believed that the court will not follow the reasoning of the prosecution. The facts absolutely do not establish influence peddling, corruption and illegal taking of interests. It is believed that the prosecutor sees offenses where there are none. This is what we are going to establish.
However, did you expect such requisitions?
Yes, because it is the custom. For a number of years, penalties for probity have been severe. We are not surprised by the requisitions. We obviously ask ourselves the question of how from this file the prosecutors were able to forge a conviction. It seemed completely absurd to me.
In what state of mind is Bernard Laporte?
Like his lawyers, he is calm. He knows he did not commit the acts for which he is being prosecuted. The requisition only makes sense if you know that there is corroborating evidence and clues, and therefore you have reason to be worried because you are going to be found guilty. But he, like his lawyers, is convinced that most of the offenses will not be retained.