“Mathieu Raynal’s Refereeing of Pau vs Montpellier Match Raises Conflict of Interest Questions”

Mathieu Raynal will be on the whistle on Sunday evening at the Hameau to referee the decisive match between the Pau Section and Montpellier. A logical decision for a game at stake since the referee is one of…

Mathieu Raynal will be on the whistle on Sunday evening at the Hameau to referee the decisive match between the Pau Section and Montpellier. A logical decision for a match at stake since the referee is one of the most famous in the Top 14… but an ill-advised choice for the Pau supporters.

The referee is Catalan, but the Section is engaged in a long-distance fight with USAP, which will play at the same time in Castres. The red flag of conflict of interest is out. What if Monsieur Raynal favored his neighbors in the Pyrénées-Orientales? “I think we could avoid this kind of climate or this kind of suspicion, confided Matthieu Raynal, Thursday with our colleagues from France Bleu Béarn Bigorre. Now it’s my job, I have a boss who decides which referee goes to which match.

The arbitrator spoke with the Section at the beginning of the week without the subject being mentioned. He was to exchange again Thursday evening with the Bearn staff. No reservations have been filed by the green and white club. As a good communicator, Bearn manager Sébastien Piqueronies even praised the qualities of the referee on Thursday, during the pre-match press conference. “I understand the astonishment of some supporters, but as a technician, I am rather very happy to have the best French referee to referee us.”

The coach underlines that Mathieu Raynal will officiate at the next World Cup and recalls that he is an irreproachable professional. “I come from Aurillac. If one day, Aurillac goes up in Top 14 and that they come to play here. Will I purposely be fragile for them to win?” It goes without saying that the answer to this rhetorical question was negative.

“We are in a professional environment, with boys who want to have successful careers. What I am sure of is that Mathieu will come to play a great game and show everyone that he is at the level where you can lead World Cup games. Encouragements which confirm that Mathieu Raynal will be very observed on Sunday …