That's certainly not how he imagined his end of career. Victim of a new concussion in December, Sébastien Vahaamahina is forced to say stop, at 31 years old. Clermont's second-in-command, 41 caps with the XV of France, is bitter. He resents his club for letting him down, as he explains in an interview with L'Equipe this Saturday.

Vahaamahina has not played for Clermont since December 10, 2022 and a match against the South African franchise Stormers, in the Champions Cup. "In six years, this is the tenth (concussion) recorded. There have been others, but they apparently have not been recorded in my medical record. I have stronger and stronger symptoms after each concussion, with an impact on my life as a professional rugby player but also on my private life, "he says, recounting his "headaches", his "dizziness" and his "fatigue".

License withdrawal without notice

"A week later, I wanted to come to the stadium driving alone. Result: I fell asleep in the parking lot when I arrived so exhausted from having driven not even fifteen minutes. They also had to postpone my nose surgery because anesthesia was not recommended in my condition," he continued. After two operations, the former player of Brive and Perpignan, arrived at Marcel-Michelin in 2014, has "resumed an almost normal life", but continues to live with "a sharp sword over his head".

"Five months have passed and they (Clermont's management) could have made me a decent and clear proposal to finish my history with the club properly. If they have not done so, they do not want to do it. The club continues to buy time and hope that I give up. I thought I deserved more respect. I'm disappointed and hurt," said the second line. I understood that the ASM surely had other things to do than take care of its old soldiers. »

In the week, club and player received a letter from the FFR, indicating the withdrawal of Vahaamahina's license "following a letter from the ASM doctor and a recommendation from the medical commission before which I have never been summoned," according to the native of Noumea who explains that he has received no prior information.

'Shame on my club'

"I am ashamed for my club as my dismissal for incapacity is underway. I have a hard time setting foot in the stadium. I told the leaders that they had ruined everything, as if they had erased everything. I was programmed to play, to give everything and perform," he says.

"They had to and must protect us. Players have duties but also rights. They are in a hurry to finish with me. All of this is unfair. They do not assume. We are like cars to them. And when you're screwed, you go to the scrapyard," says Vahaamahina, estimating that "on several occasions, the rest periods after concussions have not been respected". He is the third ASM player to denounce the attitude of the Auvergne club, after second line Jamie Cudmore and third line Alexandre Lapandry, who filed a complaint against the club for "endangering the lives of others".

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