French Rugby Federation

The French Rugby Federation ( (FFR)) is the governing body for rugby union in France. It was formed in 1919 and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It is responsible for the French national team and the Ligue nationale de rugby that administers the country's professional leagues.

In 1934 the FFR set up the Fédération internationale de rugby amateur (FIRA) in an attempt to organise rugby union outside the authority of the International Rugby Board. It included the national teams of Italy, French national team, Catalonia, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Germany national team.

Following German occupation, FFR officials closely associated with the Vichy government lobbied to have certain "un-French" sports banned. Between the end of 1940 and the middle of 1942, one semi-professional and at least six French Amateur Sport Federations were banned and destroyed by the Vichy regime. These actions were independently verified by the French government in 2002.

In 1978 the Federation became a member of the IRB.

See also

• France national rugby union team
• Ligue Nationale de Rugby
• List of rugby union clubs in France

External links

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