Player Profile - Alejandro Puccio, Argentina

Saw a great movie called the clan starring well known Argentinian actor Guillermo Francella recently which is about the Puccio family in Argentina and it may be of interest to rugby lovers. Alejandro Puccio was a remarkable rugby player and won 5 international caps (3 for Argentina) including tests for a south American selection against South Africa which they won in 1982. Don’t read on if you want to watch the movie………

….What is probably more remarkable about Puccio was that he was born into one of the most revered Argentinian crime families of the 70s and 80s. Alejandro and his father were taken to jail in 1984 and tried for kidnapping and killing up to four people including one of Alejandro’s rugby playing club team mates Ricardo Manoukian. They both received life sentences and Alejandro attempted to kill himself by jumping from the 5th floor of the court house. He survived the fall.

Disappearances in Argentina were common place in the 70s and it is said that Alejandro’s father Arquimedes Puccio had worked for the government in their “dirty war” of terror when thousands of trade unionists, students and activists when missing. He turned to crime when the political landscape changed in Argentina in the early 80s. Alejandro Puccio died in prison in 2008.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

….What is probably more remarkable about Puccio was that he was born into one of the most revered Argentinian crime families...

Not sure that the phraseology is right here...!

Organised crime is generally glamorized and revered.