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Parents break silence on disappearance of Medhi Narjissi – report
By Liam Heagney
Jalil Narjissi, the former Agen hooker, and his wife Valerie have broken their silence on the tragic disappearance of their son Medhi on tour with the France U18s in South Africa. The French team were in the southern hemisphere for the annual six-team International Series when the 17-year-old Toulouse fly-half was swept away by a wave and the current off the Cape of Good Hope on August 7.
It had been decided that the squad should do a recovery session in the water at Dias beach but a disaster materialised when Narjissi got into difficulties. It was then 11 days ago, on August 16, when the FFR temporarily suspended all its U18 staff due to its ongoing investigation into the tragedy.
Having returned from a visit to South Africa, the Narjissi family spoke for the first time on Tuesday about the loss of their son and their anger was immense. While Jalil Narjissi admitted it wasn’t unusual for French teams to visit the Cape of Good Hope, he explained that recovery swims had never taken place at Dias beach.
In an extensive question and answer transcript published on rugbyrama.fr, Narjissi said: “What I know, after a long week of conducting our own investigation, is that the French teams go to the Cape of Good Hope every year, for a day of discovery, with a visit to the port. But they have never done this recovery swim at this place.
“You are on one of the most dangerous beaches in South Africa; we have met a few surfers who themselves told us that the site is very dangerous, with huge waves, rip currents that sweep you away and carry you away. The sand creates holes under your feet. You don’t have to be a pro coach to understand that it’s dangerous. Any person, any parent… It’s unimaginable.”
Narjissi, who went on you detail the involvements of the French staff on the beach and their unsatisfactory reaction to the emergency that unfolded, heralded the actions of the one teammate who tried to rescue Medhi.
“Oscar, he is a hero to me. He had the balls to go. Even if he could not do anything, he is my hero. And no adult moved? Another child almost died… Oscar took more than 20 minutes to get back to the shore when he is two metres tall and a good swimmer. And no adult did anything. They left them in the water.
“It's not an accident, it was caused. A bus accident, a plane crash, or if Medhi gets hurt and becomes paraplegic, we are all sorry, dejected. But not this, not something like that. They played with the lives of our children. It was ours who disappeared. Medhi was our son, but they also played with the lives of other children.”
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Latest Comments
Well I didnt see Aus bossing the Wales team around in the forwards let alone SA or Arg. Ill bet NZ dominates the scrums.
Go to commentsOkay, fair points in here. Agree Razor isn't transparent. How quickly the climate changes from one regime to another. I'm sorry but when I refer to "human values" I'm alluding to Razor prancing around like a peacock at the 2023 RWC, knowing he had had the job but going there to smirk while Fozz went about his business. What need was there of that when Razor had already got the nod?
Besides, that's why caring employers don't put their employees through that spin-dry cycle following redundancy, although Fozz would have relished the opportunity to ride the waves to redemption. He had come within a whisker. I'm guessing Fozz's contract wouldn't have allowed him to terminate employment, glory of RWC aside. Now, I'm not saying fora second that Fozz was a fine head coach because he had erred like Razor is with selections across the board.
The captaincy debacle is just that, so agree with that. More significantly for me, Barrett has the unenviable record of collecting two red cards in test rugger — the most anyone has. His 2nd test against the Boks was questionable, considering the lock hadn't carried the ball until after the 60th minute. In both Boks affairs, he was hardly visible as a leader.
DMac is a Hobson's choice. You can have a "unique" kicking game but if the others are not on the same page, is it worth anything? Player, selection, and/or head coaching issue? For me it's all 3. I've not religiously watched Super Rugby Pacific matches but I did see how the Fijian Drua had homed in on DMac at The Tron. He was rattled and even started complaining to the ref. That's where we part ways with "aggression". All pooches are ferocious behind their owner's fenced property. DMac enjoys that when he has the comfort of protection from the engine room. The pooch is only tested when it wanders outside the confines of the yard on to the street to face other mongrels. Boks were going to be the litmus test, although no home fan saw the Pumas coming. At best, a bench-minutes player.
Leon MacDonald. Well, besides debating the merits of his prowess as "attacking guru", it doesn't override one simple fact — Razor chose his stable of support coaches. Its starts and ends there. If MacD didn't slot into the equation, Razor is accountable.
Why appoint a specialist when you're not going to listen to him, especially if you have an engine-room background? Having fired him, Razor looks even more clueless now than ever with his backline, never mind attacking. Which raises the pertinent question? Which of his other favoured coaches have assumed the mantle of backline/attacking coach? (Hansen/Ellison?) If so, why is Razor not dangling them over burning coals?
"His [MacD's] way might be great for some team, maybe in another country, and with the right people." Intriguing because he has led his team in his own country's premier competition to victory against a number of franchise players who are in the ABs squad that had failed to make the cut after a rash of losses and Razor's "home". You see, it's such anomalies that make the prudent question the process. All it does is make Razor look just like another member of the old boys' network. Appreciate the engagement.
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