Toulouse face record fine, could be forced to sell Antoine Dupont

The reigning French champions have faced growing scrutiny from French rugby authorities in recent months following several alleged salary cap violations.

The transfer of Melvyn Jaminet, which already resulted in the club receiving a €1.3 million fine, also remains under judicial investigation.

According to L'Équipe, Toulouse president Didier Lacroix will appear before the committee after the club was accused of breaching transparency obligations across four seasons between 2021 and 2025, as well as exceeding the salary cap during the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2024-25 campaigns.

Central to today's hearing is the issue of alleged “phantom contracts” involving France international Anthony Jelonch and club sponsor 3S-Alyzia, along with the distribution of championship bonuses.

Investigators reportedly found that Jelonch received €170,000 from 3S-Alyzia through an image rights agreement, despite there appearing to be little or no promotional benefit for the company, as the player was never publicly linked to the sponsor.

The arrangement is believed to have been used to help the club operate beyond the salary cap, with the contract allegedly omitted from the club’s financial accounts and signed off by Lacroix, leading to questions about whether it could be a widespread practice within the club.

Toulouse could now face a substantial financial penalty, with their club lawyer suggesting a fine “around five million” euros.

Under reforms set to be introduced this autumn, the club could also face sporting sanctions including exclusion from the playoffs, relegation, or a points deduction. Teams found to have exceeded the cap by more than €500,000 can be docked up to 15 points.

Although under different jurisdictions, it is a similar situation to Saracens, who were automatically relegated from the Premiership and handed a hefty fine in 2020 for failing to comply with the salary cap.

Toulouse also faced the possibility of a transfer ban, although prosecutors did not pursue that additional sanction.

The LNR commission is also expected to rule on the allocation of bonuses linked to Toulouse’s 2024-25 championship success, with the salary cap manager viewing some of those payments as disguised remuneration.

If those bonuses exceed €500,000, they must be included within the club’s payroll calculations.

The previous record fine for salary cap breaches in French rugby was the €3 million settlement paid by Montpellier in 2020, a figure Toulouse could now surpass.

Should the club receive a €5 million fine alongside sporting penalties such as a points deduction, questions may arise over the futures of several high-profile players.

Among them is Antoine Dupont, who recently signed a contract extension until 2031 but would likely attract interest from clubs across the world if Toulouse’s situation worsens.

It would be difficult to imagine one of the sport’s leading players remaining at the club in the event of relegation, and the world’s highest-paid rugby player could potentially consider opportunities elsewhere.