8:20am, 26 February 2020

Ex-Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has won his defamation case against EPCR, the governing body of European club rugby, and its director-general Vincent Gaillard according to a report in Var-matin.

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In an EPCR press release published on July 18, 2018, Gaillard had accused Boudjellal of using “homophobic behaviour”.

However, the EPCR and its director have now been found guilty of “defamation” at a court hearing. Gaillard was sentenced to a suspended fine of €5,000 euros while the EPCR received a fine of €10,000.

In addition to this, the two parties found guilty must compensate for the moral damage done to Boudjellal by up to €30,000. Toulon rugby club will also receive €10,000 following this damage.

Gaillard and the EPCR have ten days to appeal this decision.

(Continue reading below…)

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At the time of the press release that was deemed defamatory, Boudjellal had defended a Toulon player sanctioned for insulting an opponent and had severely criticised the EPCR.

Boudjellal and his club opted to take legal action and the trial was held in Toulon at the beginning of 2020 with the verdict handed down on Wednesday. Boudjellal had pleaded: “I ask you to repair my honour, I am not homophobic.”

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