Talking to Keith Chapman is no easy task because he doesn’t waste time. I asked for an interview twice and had to insist for months both times. Few people know the ins and outs of rugby institutions better than him, be it World Rugby, European Rugby or the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER). He spent more than 25 years affiliated with FER, giving his time and even taking money out of his pocket. The first interview he gave me in the ‘From the 22s’ episode with José Manuel Ibáñez after he was named the most influential person in Spanish rugby cost him the vice-presidential position. In a very clear and self-critical reflection involving himself, he warned, with his usual candour, that “Spanish rugby is anchored in the past”. Alfonso Feijoo, who never read the interview, received a biased report from someone on the board and “invited” his “friend” Keith to resign as vice president. The chairman’s problem is that his son Pablo, the 7s coach, refuses to remove him from his position as manager because Keith is the only Spanish rugby leader with connections to the upper echelons of World Rugby. Today he gives me this second interview away from the front line to analyze the uncertain future of Spanish rugby with this new Federation, in which he admits he has faith and is leaving through the back door. In his calm and thoughtful style, he analyzes a situation that will once again displease Ferraz’s new tenants, as he refutes the successful official version of a concealed reality.
Source: Informacion
Gregory Robert is a sports aficionado and a writer for “Social Bites”. He provides in-depth coverage of the latest sporting events and trends, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the world of sports.