IRB to meet French authorities over Tincu case

THE IRB will meet French authorities in an attempt to firm up laws that are allowing Marius Tincu to play in the Top 14 even though the Perpignan hooker is serving an 18-week worldwide suspension.

Tincu was handed the lengthy punishment, banning him from all competitions until March 9, after being found guilty of eye-gouging during Perpignan’s Heineken Cup loss to the Ospreys on October 18.

However, Tincu has been playing for Perpignan since just before Christmas, the club having been given the go-ahead to field him after the French league (LNR) received notification from the country’s Olympic committee (CNOSF) that the 30-year-old was authorised to take part.

The CNOSF believe a suspension in one competition should not apply to another, a decision accepted by the LNR, who in a statement said it marked “the first step in affirming the primacy of French law over all other considerations, within the framework of the course of the disciplinary proceedings”.

The IRB confirmed on January 9 it would investigate the matter and yesterday announced the initial findings of the enquiry, which is being carried out by a three-person panel chaired by executive committee member and South Africa Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins.

“Having accelerated its initial review to determine whether the original sanction could be applied in the Tincu case, the enquiry panel has established that at this stage the application of this suspension in France remains problematic as a result of the current legal position in France,” read the IRB statement.

“The enquiry panel will continue to examine where responsibility lies for the apparent failure to implement IRB regulations and has convened a meeting with the relevant French authorities.

“The final element of the enquiry will be to ensure that there is no such repetition of events that occurred in the Tincu case and that the universality principle enshrined within the regulations that govern rugby will be applied in all cases and respected in all territories worldwide.”