Top 14: Toulon formalizes the change of ownership

Toulon (AFP)

It is official: Toulon announced Monday by release the increase of capital of the club, where Bernard Lemaître becomes majority but Mourad Boudjellal remains president.

"The holding of Bernard Lemaître, Financière de la Seigneurie, becomes majority in the capital of the RCT," said the club in its statement presenting the operation as a strengthening of "financial capabilities to accelerate the implementation of its plan 2019-2023 ".

This change in the shareholding of the RCT, announced Saturday by the sports daily L'Équipe, makes Bernard Lemaître, a businessman who made a fortune in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, the new boss of the club with four league titles. France and the three European Cups.

Lemaître, 80, had already entered the club's capital in 2018 before increasing his share this summer and holding 44% of the RCT.

At 59 and after 12 years as head of the club, Mourad Boudjellal remains president and explains this choice by the need to increase capital.

"The Top 14 requires significant financial capital, especially to provide our club with high-level sports infrastructure," explained Boudjellal. Bernard Lemaître had already financed the construction of the new TCR training center. This project should see the light of day next June.

"I am pleased that Bernard Lemaître's collaboration allows us to compare ourselves to the best clubs in Europe", continued the President of the Reds and Blacks.

For his part, Boudjellal could run for the presidency of the National Rugby League (NRL) in 2020 and would be forced, if elected, to leave his chair as president.

Lemaître assured him that he wanted to attract "the best talents" and continue to develop training. Training center and "pole of performance" will play "an essential role in our project (...) 2019-2023", he explained.

Since 2007, Boudjellal has managed to attract some of the biggest names in world rugby (Umaga, Gregan, Matfield, Wilkinson, Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Botha ...), lift the Brennus shield in 2014 and rule Europe for three seasons (2013-2015).

© 2019 AFP