Dordogne: Rugby Player Insulted with Racist Remarks Plans to Sue in Tarn-et-Garonne

Dordogne – June 9, 2026: On Saturday, June 6, 2026, during an away match of the US Bergerac Rugby Club held in Tarn-et-Garonne, an incident shocked the rugby community. A female player of the club was subjected to a racist insult “putain de noire” by an opposing player. The insult was confirmed by the affected player to the local news outlet ICI Périgord.

The incident occurred in the 70th minute of the match, while the game between US Bergerac and the Tarn-et-Garonne home team was fiercely contested. It is reported that the insult was made by the opposing player during normal match play. The affected player, wishing to remain anonymous, personally conveyed the situation and the emotional burden following the event.

After the insult, the referee temporarily stopped the game to manage the situation. The referee did not hear the insult directly and therefore could not impose immediate sanctions. However, the affected player decided to make the incident public and expressed the intention to file a formal complaint with the authorities.

The US Bergerac Rugby Club strongly condemned this racist insult and emphasized in a statement that such incidents are unacceptable in both rugby and society. The club pledged full support to the affected player and reiterated the importance of respect and fairness both on and off the field.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) acknowledged the incident and has started an investigation. The case will be thoroughly examined and disciplinary actions will be taken if necessary. The FFR emphasized its firm rejection of racism within rugby and stated that such incidents will be treated seriously.

This incident occurred amid a series of similar cases in French rugby. In February 2026, a player from US Drancy Sainte-Denis faced racist insults during a match against the Tyrosse Espoirs team, and in December 2025, a match between AS Aimé Rugby in Gironde and the Vignano Club was prematurely ended by the referee due to racist insults.

These incidents have once again raised concerns about the state of racism within French rugby, underlining the urgent need for its strict prevention. The affected player and US Bergerac Rugby Club hope to send a clear warning against racism through the complaint and wish to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.