Paul Barrière
Paul Barrière was born on 8 June 1920 in Espéraza and died on 29 May 2008 in Biarritz, aged 88.[1] He was president of the Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII from 1947 to 1955.
Barrière played rugby union for Espéraza in 1936 and Carcassone.[1][2]
During World War II, Barrière joined the French Resistance and operated in Aude.[2] Whilst in the resistance, he met French leaders of rugby league which had been banned by the collaborationist Vichy government.[2]
After the war, Barrière, along with Marcel Laborde who served as president of the French Rugby League between 1944 and 1947, worked to re-establish rugby league, which had been severely disrupted.[1] Barrière became vice-president of the French Rugby League on 16 September 1944 at the Hotel Regina in Toulouse. He was elected president on 2 July 1947 at a meeting in Bayonne. Barrière was the driving force behind the agreement to create the International Rugby League Board and to institute a World Cup. When asked for this opinion on moves to name the World Cup trophy after him, Barrière refused the honour.[2]
Under Barrière, the French national team undertook its first tour of the southern hemisphere.[2]
From 1990 until 2004 Barrière organised the Festival de la Cite in Carcassonne for musical theatre.[2]
In 2008, Barrière was posthumously awarded the inaugural RLIF Spirit of Rugby League Award which was created to honour those deemed to have made a significant contribution to the sport during their lifetime.[3][4]
Barrière was survived by his wife, Jeanine, and her daughter, Babette.[1]
References
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