World Rugby inquiry into Francis Kean could hurt Bill Beaumont’s election bid

Bill Beaumont’s bid for another four years as chair of World Rugby could be derailed by an inquiry into the Fiji Rugby Union.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont. Picture: AFP

Bill Beaumont’s bid to win re-election for another four years as chairman of World Rugby suffered another blow on Sunday when his own organisation started an inquiry into Francis Kean, who has been convicted of manslaughter and who is the chairman of the Fiji Rugby Union, which seconded Beaumont’s nomination.

Beaumont, 68, the former England captain, is standing against Agustin Pichot, the former Argentina half back, in the election. Beaumont had his nomination proposed by the French federation and seconded by Fiji.

There is a close triangular link between three key figures because Bernard Laporte, the head of the French federation, is Beaumont’s running partner to become World Rugby vice-chairman, and while Fiji has seconded Beaumont’s nomination, the French federation has supported Kean’s bid to be elevated to the organisation’s executive committee.

The inquiry into Kean was launched on Sunday by World Rugby after a story in The Sunday Times, which referred not only to Kean’s conviction for manslaughter in 2007 but also allegations of homophobia.

The Sunday Times also referred to two reports by Amnesty International, which condemned Kean for the culture surrounding him after he was put in charge of prisons in 2016.

It is the accusations of homophobia that may yet see Kean expelled from the high table at which he sits within World Rugby. They directly conflict with World Rugby’s bylaw 3f which states that one of the objectives of World Rugby is to prevent any form of discrimination.

On Sunday, World Rugby told The Times that it “takes these allegations extremely seriously. Rugby is a sport built on strong and inclusive values and World Rugby does not in any way condone abusive or discriminatory behaviour”.

At present, World Rugby is only looking into these allegations. However, World Rugby and Beaumont are understood to be deeply concerned about the new allegations and are pressing the Fiji Rugby Union for answers and are prepared to take action.

Beaumont’s nomination in the chairmanship election was not supported by Kean personally, but by the Fiji Rugby Union. This is a difference that Beaumont will seek to emphasise if Kean is expelled from World Rugby. However, Beaumont and Laporte are running as a partnership in the election and, with Laporte backing Kean personally for a place on the executive committee, the link between the three men remains strong.

The Sunday Times published a number of new allegations against Kean. However, the manslaughter conviction is a matter of public record.

Kean was found guilty of the manslaughter of a man at a wedding in 2006. He was sentenced to 18 months but the South Pacific Law journal reported that he was released “after a couple of months” under a CSO (compulsory supervision order). Amnesty pointed out that only those whose sentence was longer than three years were eligible for a CSO. Kean has some powerful contacts. He is the brother-in-law of Frank Bainimarama, Fiji’s Prime Minister. Bainimarama is also the president of the Fiji Rugby Union.

World Rugby cannot affect who appears on its council because the appointments are made by the member nations themselves. Kean was elected by Fiji to be its representative.

Beaumont has called for a review of the governance of World Rugby. It is expected that some form of a “right and proper person” test will be considered in the review.

Beaumont’s connections in this election have already raised questions about where he stands on important issues.

Laporte recently claimed that he intended to terminate the Heineken European Cup and replace it with a world club championship that would run in three years out of every four-year cycle. Beaumont quickly announced that he did not agree with this.

THE TIMES