Marseille (AFP)
Emirati investors, represented by former international Christophe Dominici, confirmed Tuesday their interest in the Béziers rugby club (Pro D2), even if the club leaders said they were waiting for "a concrete proposal".
The rumor of the interest of investors from the United Arab Emirates for the club of Hérault, 11 times champion of France, had been confirmed Friday by Christophe Dominici in an interview with the weekly Midi Olympique.
If he did not reveal the identity of the businessman at the head of this project, the former RC Toulon and Stade Français wing claimed that he is "from an Emirati family and is a very close to royal power. "
Having made his fortune "in the extraction of oil", he would have "a significant financial surface, not to say gigantic", added Christophe Dominici.
The plan to take over AS Béziers-Hérault by this businessman was specified on Tuesday in a press release from his representatives in France, who explain that they initially came to Béziers "as part of a project to purchase and sell 'exploitation of vines ".
Having learned "the financial difficulties" that the ASBH encountered, they proposed to take over the professional section of the club "for a symbolic euro", to "repeal all the debts of the club", "to clean up" its accounts and to " put the necessary funds to allow the club to reach the Top 14 as quickly as possible. " The sports project would be led by "Christophe Dominici and his sports network".
The press release specifies that this offer is valid "until the end of the month".
Responding on Sunday via press release to the rumors "about this possible takeover of the club by mysterious UAE billionaires", the co-presidents of AS Béziers-Hérault, Cédric Bistué and Pierre-Olivier Valaize, confirmed that the club was working "for more ten months on the possibility of a takeover or capital development ".
The two leaders also confirmed that during a meeting on April 28, the representatives in France of these supposed Emirati investors told them of a plan to take over the club. If, according to them, this exchange was "very little constructive", they nevertheless decided to "leave the door open to a concrete proposal on their part".
Explaining that he had received "several files" from various investors interested in ASBH, "from the most serious to the most fantastic", MM. Bistué and Valaize said Sunday that they "will be able", by May 31, "to confirm the option chosen".
© 2020 AFP