Pichot is contesting World Rugby's leadership election next month against England's Sir Bill Beaumont, and Asia's 28 member unions today voted overwhelmingly to support the former Argentina international.

Pichot received 24 votes of support from the Asian unions, with two unions voting for Sir Bill and two abstaining.

Unlike most regional associations, Asia Rugby allowed individual unions to submit their preferences for who should lead World Rugby.

"My guiding principles of equality, transparency and accountability were laid to bare when Asia Rugby allowed its individual unions to voice their own preferences unlike other regional associations whose Executive Committees usually made the determination on behalf of other member unions", Qais Abdulla Al Dhalai, Asia Rugby President, said.

Asia is one of six regional associations within the global rugby pyramid, meaning it gets two votes at World Rugby elections, something Al Dhalai feels must change.

"It is unfortunate that a sport which aspires to be a global game allows Asia’s 28 unions to count for only two of the total of 51 votes on the World Rugby governance and voting system," the President said..

"This must change, and must change now if rugby is to truly become a global sport."

The voting system currently works in such a way that 30 of the 51 votes are allocated to the 10 Tier 1 unions within the Six Nations and Rugby Championship tournaments.

Two votes go to each to the six regional associations, which includes Asia, plus Japan gets two votes and there is one vote for each for the seven unions from Canada, the United States, Uruguay, Georgia, Romania, Samoa and Fiji.

Voting, which is conducted by a private ballot, starts on Monday (April 27) and the result will be announced on May 12, along with the vote for vice-chairman and the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee race has already been dogged by controversy, with Fijian Ratu Vilikesa Bulewa Francis Kean withdrawing after allegations of homophobia and discrimination against him were published.

Speaking about the World Rugby leadership race, Al Dhalai said: "I believe that Pichot has the vision to build a sustainable competition pathway that will enable greater playing performance from Asia and all regions including emerging unions.

"On behalf of Asia, we are confident that whichever candidate wins the election will offer his utmost efforts to take rugby to the next levels to be more accessible to all unions equally either financially and from a governance perspective embracing all means of equality, transparency and accountability."