How to overcome the death of a son? How to forget your absence when the body has not even appeared half a year after its disappearance more than 12,000 kilometers from home? Last August 7, Medhi Narjissiselection player … French rugby under-18, was dragged by the sea in Cape City (South Africa).
The Galo team, who had traveled to the African country to dispute the World Seriesdecided to carry out a recovery training on the beach of Dias and the young people got into the cold waters of the South Atlantic. When leaving, a wave took Medhi (17 years) in the sea. He never returned.
Your parents, Djalil and Valerie NarjissiThey have been fighting for six months to clarify the circumstances of what happened. They are convinced that the accident was a consequence of the negligence and neglect of those responsible for that youth team. Djalil lives so hard situation at a crossroads of especially painful feelings. Because he is an experienced rugby player who has dressed the shirt of several clubs and that of his country of birth, Morocco (It also has French nationality). As captain of his selection, Narjissi was proclaimed Africa champion in 2005.
Three weeks after losing their son, Djalil and Valerie Narjissi decided to expose their impressions about what happened. It was a blunt and hard testimony:
«After carrying out our own research we know that the French teams go after good hope every year, but never to bathe to That beach, which is one of the most dangerous in South Africa Djalil said. Some surfers have told us that the site is very dangerous, with huge waves, hangover currents that drag you and take you. There are waves of four meters every five seconds and the sand creates holes under your feet. It is not necessary to be a professional coach to understand that it is dangerous. Any person, any father … is unimaginable ».
Narjissi continued recounting the low implication of federative personnel by the selection and its Null reaction to the emergency in which his son was involved, and exalted the performance of the only teammate who tried to rescue Medhi.
According to the family, the physical trainer was the main responsible for the tragedy: «He is the one who makes the decision to put the children into the water, on his own initiative, according to the report of the South African inspectors. He was the only one who was in the water and wore a neoprene suit and our children were in underwear. I can’t understand what was going through his head».
They also condemned the inaction of the rest of the federative staff that accompanied the kids: «There were twelve supervisors in total, including eight on the beach. Why none, seeing the conditions of the sea, ordered them to get out of the water?».
«And why did none do anything later? They asked and still wondered the father and mother of the unfortunate young man. Oscar (Medhi selection companion and best friend) is a hero for me. He had the balls to go looking for him. Although I couldn’t do anything, it’s my hero. And no adult moved? Another boy was about to die … Oscar, who measures two meters and is a good swimmer, took more than 20 minutes to return to the shore when. And no adult did anything. They left them in the water ».
«It was not an accident, it was caused. A bus accident, a plane accident, or if Medhi had suffered an injury and is paraplegic … we would all regret. But this is not. They played with the life of our children. It was ours that disappeared, but they played with everyone’s life, ”insists the Narjissi, who filed the corresponding complaint in the Agen Court (France).
Half year after the disappearance of his son, the family went to the recent tribute held in the Stade of France before the opening party of the Six 2025 nations tournament between France and Wales.
They attended fundamentally to thank the support received during these six months by numerous fans. Nothing else. Djalil Narjissi has lost faith in many things. Mainly in the sport he loved and who has dedicated his life: «I repeat it: My family is destroyeddevastated. We have not been alive since August 7. I do not wish anyone what we are living, not even the coaches of the Sub 18. There is an investigation in progress. Justice will do its work. They will be punished, but for us, our conviction is for life ».
The 45 -year -old also remains disappointed by the reaction of the parents of Medhi Narjissi teammates: «We have received two messages. Two messages of 28 … I can understand that people have a hard time approaching a decimated, destroyed family. But six months have passed … Maybe they are afraid that your child is no longer selected… My son did not practice any individual sport, I didn’t play tennis, I played rugby. What are our values? I will not play rugby again »
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