Rugby: New Zealand Rugby awaiting verdict in corruption trial of founder of All Blacks sponsor

Founder of the All Blacks' jersey sponsor Altrad is on trial. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand Rugby is awaiting the verdict of a corruption trial involving the founder of the All Blacks jersey sponsor.

French billionaire Mohed Altrad – founder of building supplies company Altrad Group and owner of Top 14 club Montpellier – is one of five defendants, including World Rugby vice chairman Bernard Laporte, facing a range of corruption charges at a high-profile trial in France relating to their governance of rugby.

Altrad Group has been the front jersey sponsor for the All Blacks, Black Ferns and other national rugby sides since the start of this year following a six-year deal announced last August worth over $120 million. The deal also reportedly includes player agreements and fixtures in Montpellier.

NZR said it is aware of the legal proceedings but declined to comment when approached by the Herald.

According to reports, Altrad is accused of influence peddling, active corruption and abuse of corporate assets. Laporte is reportedly accused of passive corruption, passive influence peddling, illegal taking of interests, breach of trust and concealment of abuse of corporate assets.

The case reportedly centres around the close relationship between Altrad and Laporte.

Mohed Altrad. Photo / Photosport

The prosecutors' case is said to be built around an alleged "corruption pact" where Altrad agreed a €180,000 image rights deal with Laporte in 2017.

Laporte, a former France coach and French rugby union president, then "pressured the Top 14's appeals panel to drop sanctions against Altrad's club, Montpellier, for the display of some protest banners at the club's Altrad Stadium", according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Laporte's involvement reportedly led to seven panel members resigning.

Later that year, Altrad Group was confirmed as the jersey sponsor for the French national team reportedly worth $60 million. Laporte pulled out of the image rights deal after it was revealed in the media.

Both men have denied the allegations.

Altrad Group is also sponsor of the Western Force in a multi-million dollar deal announced earlier this year. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the pending judgement of the case has raised doubts over the Force's deal.

NZR and the Force were not involved in the allegations of the criminal case.

NZR has already come under fire for its controversial deal with British petrochemicals company Ineos, with Greenpeace accusing the rugby governing body of "greenwashing" and aligning with a brand Greenpeace believes is responsible for "plastic pollution and driving climate disasters".

Laporte is an influential figure in rugby and is a strong ally to Sanzaar nations, particularly New Zealand and Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Laporte's position as World Rugby vice chairman could come under pressure, and there are fears from World Rugby and Sanzaar that it could create a power vacuum that would tilt the balance of power away from New Zealand and Australia towards members of the Six Nations.