An international arrest warrant has been issued against former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, who was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison by a French court for the misuse of corporate assets, according to a lawyer involved in the case.
Elsom, who served as president of the French rugby club Narbonne from 2015 to 2016, faced charges stemming from his time at the club. The 41-year-old ex-Australian international, who earned 75 caps for the Wallabies, was also convicted of forgery and ordered to repay €705,000 (approximately R13.4 million), said lawyer Patrick Tabet.
The charges include allegations that Elsom paid €79,000 (around R1.5 million) to a former coach for services that “could not be justified,” and that he hired an individual based in Australia for a monthly salary of €7,200 (about R137,000), who “never came to Narbonne” and “did not perform any work” for the club.
The court’s president handed down a sentence even harsher than the prosecutor’s recommendation of two years in prison.
Narbonne, once a powerhouse of French rugby and champions in 1936 and 1979, faced severe financial troubles in the years following Elsom’s presidency. The club was placed into liquidation and relegated in 2018.
