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Former French international Abdelatif Benazzi, who was born in Morocco, narrowly missed becoming World Rugby's president after losing to Australian Brett Robinson in a tight election held in Dublin on Thursday, November 14, 2024.
According to L'Équipe, Benazzi, currently serving as vice-president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), secured 25 votes against Robinson's 27 in the final round. The first round of voting saw Benazzi receive 21 votes, trailing Robinson's 22, while Italian candidate Andrea Rinaldi gathered 9 votes.
Benazzi, who had received support from current FFR President Florian Grill, had centered his campaign on expanding rugby's reach beyond its traditional strongholds. His vision included making the sport more inclusive and accessible to emerging rugby nations.
The election result maintains the status quo in international rugby governance, with Robinson becoming the first president from the Southern Hemisphere. He succeeds England's Bill Beaumont, who has led the organization since 2016. Robinson will serve a four-year term with the possibility of re-election in 2028.
