France full-back Melvyn Jaminet returned to training with club Toulon this week despite his lengthy suspension for making racist comments on social media earlier this year.
Jaminet was banned for 34 weeks by the French Rugby Federation (FFR) after publishing a video on Instagram in July following France’s first Test in Argentina.
The 25-year-old will be suspended until next year.
“He spoke to the team before coming back, I think it was necessary, and we’re very happy to have him back,” Toulon hooker Teddy Baubigny told reporters on Thursday.
“Even if he won’t play right away, he remains an important player for the squad.”
Ex-Perpignan full-back Jaminet has accepted to take part in community service to reduce his ban by eight weeks and was fined 30,000 euros ($32,500) by the FFR.
On July 9, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into “death threats due to origin” following a complaint from an anti-racism NGO about the player’s comments.
Jaminet’s outburst came hours before two other members of France’s squad in Argentina, Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, were accused of sexual assault.
Pau’s Auradou and La Rochelle’s Jegou returned to France earlier this month after a court allowed them to fly home pending the conclusion of their case.
