By Charlie Morgan
Melvyn Jaminet, the France and Toulon full-back, has been suspended for six months following the racist remarks he made while on tour in Argentina.
In a video that was posted on social media in the wake of France’s 28-13 win over the Pumas on July 6, before being deleted, the 25-year-old was captured repeating that he would “headbutt the first Arab that he came across on the road”.
France’s Melvyn Jaminet in action during a 2021 international against Australia in Brisbane.Credit: AP
The Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) condemned the comments quickly and Jaminet was sent home from the tour. However, following the conclusion of a disciplinary council, it was announced on Friday that Jaminet’s actions had been labelled as prejudicial to the best interests of the game.
He has been fined €30,000 by the FFR and was handed a 34-week ban, though the latter will be cut by eight weeks if Jaminet fulfils certain terms, such as six instances of attending rugby academies to “promote how the values of the sport can help the fight against discrimination”.
On Wednesday, Toulon issued a statement regarding Jaminet’s behaviour. The club said that it had held an interview with the player and appeared to offer him a route back to the game.
“During this interview, the club took the time to listen to its player’s arguments and analyse the facts in detail,” read the statement. “RCT [Toulon] will determine, in the coming days, the fairest and most appropriate sanction(s) for this situation.
“In its position, the RCT will make a distinction between the player, who has seriously damaged the image of the club and rugby in general, and the 25-year-old young man.
“Regardless of the sanction decision that may be taken against him, we believe in the possibility of Melvyn Jaminet’s redemption and are ready to support him in this process. This approach aims to help him understand the seriousness of his actions, to eradicate them and to evolve positively as an individual.
“RCT reaffirms its commitment to combating all forms of discrimination. In this context, the club is already working on revising its ethical charter in order to strengthen its commitment against racism and promote the values of respect and tolerance. This charter will constitute a formal commitment that must be adopted and respected by each of its members.”
Jaminet, who made his Test debut for France in 2021 while at Perpignan, subsequently moved to Toulouse and then onto Toulon in 2023.