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Jamie Cudmore has filed an official complaint in the French courts against former club ASM Clermont Auvergne. In January, a court-appointed neurologist decided that Clermont were at fault for returning the former Canadian international to the field in the 2015 Champions Cup final after he had suffered a head injury. It’s the first case in which a club has been held responsible for concussion-related injury.
The initial report detailed that Cudmore had previously suffered a concussion two weeks earlier, with the neurologist adding that three such head injuries in a span of 15 days ‘carried a risk of second-strike syndrome whose consequences could have been dramatic.’
Clermont meanwhile have denied any wrongdoing. They argue that the January report in fact vindicates their position, citing that the neurologist did not find a definitive ‘causal link’ between the incidents and Cudmore’s prolonged symptoms afterwards. In an official release on their website, club attorney Charles Friborg described the initial media reaction as “a lot of noise about nothing.”
Filed on February 19, the case is expected to last several months. A decision against Clermont could lead to criminal charges against individuals at the club.
In a possibly unrelated situation, Provence Rugby have confirmed that Cudmore’s contract as General Manager of the club will not be renewed at the end of the season. Provence have maintained a mid-table position in the Pro D2 this season after achieving promotion from the third division, Fédérale 1, last season. Cudmore says the decision has been made “without justification.”
The statement on the club’s website reads as follows:
“From the pre-season to the end of this 2018/2019 season, Jamie Cudmore has brought to the club rigor, urgency, and professionalism. Provence Rugby is very proud to have been able to count on him as a manager and wish him every success in his future duties.”
