A France rugby international who sparked a diplomatic incident when he falsely claimed that he had been assaulted by New Zealand fans has been admitted to psychiatric care after reportedly throwing himself into the Seine.

Mathieu Bastareaud, 20, is said to have attempted suicide after telling friends he could not cope with the scandal that erupted when his lies were uncovered by police in New Zealand. The incident has become an embarrassment to French rugby authorities amid claims that they helped to cover up a hotel room fight between players and left Bastareaud to face the controversy on his own.

Bastareaud is a rare representative of France’s troubled suburban estates in a sport dominated by players from a white provincial background. This, his friends say, has exacerbated his mental fragility. “He sent me a text saying he couldn’t stand this harassment,” said Mathieu Blin, a team-mate at the club Stade Français. “Now he’s completely gone off the rails.”

French media reports said the rugby player told friends that he was suicidal after being sent home from France’s tour to New Zealand and Australia. LÉquipe, the sporting daily, said he jumped into the Seine at the weekend.

Max Guazzini, the chairman of Stade Français, said that Bastareaud would be kept under observation for at least two weeks in a clinic. “He is completely gutted. He needs to be left alone.”

Bastareaud said initially that he was attacked by four or five New Zealand fans at 3am in Wellington after France were defeated by the All Blacks. However, he was forced to admit that he had made up the story after police discovered CCTV footage of him returning to his hotel uninjured with two other players and two women at 5.22am. He then issued a statement claiming that his injuries had been caused by a fall against his bedside table when he was drunk.

This was greeted with widespread scepticism. One theory is that he fought with other members of the French side; a second is that he traded blows with a pimp. “At least two French players, maybe more, know the truth,” said Peter Cowan, the police chief in Wellington. “One day it will come out.”

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