Bernard Laporte has been handed a two-year suspended prison sentence after the World Rugby vice-chairman was found guilty of corruption.
A Paris court confirmed the sentence and also fined the president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) €75,000 (£64,000) on Tuesday. Laporte was found to have an 'illegal taking of interests', with four instances of 'passive corruption' that were 'guided by a bias towards' Montpellier owner and FFR investor, Mohed Altrad.
The 58-year-old was found guilty in all but one of the five bribery charges laid against him. The punishment comes as a huge shock to French rugby, particularly with the country set to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup in less than a year.