The President of the Stade Francais rugby club has jumped to the defence of player Mattieu Basteraud who is facing a 2-year ban from the French national side following the Wellington lying affair.
The French Rugby Federation's disciplinary commission is about to release its findings into the affair when the centre initially said he'd been mugged outside a Wellington hotel before saying he's fallen on a bedside table.
The man in charge of the investigation has said as far as he is concerned Basteraud is the only one implicated and that he's likely to be banned from the national side.
However Max Guazzinni has defended his club player and says he is infact the victim.
Guazzinni has hailed his courage and determination to come back and says he was applauded by the Toulon crowd during last weekend's match there.
The Stade Francais boss feels Basteraud is covering for someone and he cannot see why he should be sanctioned.
