Béziers (AFP)
The mayor of Béziers Robert Ménard (close to the RN) announced Wednesday his intention to bring together "everyone around a table", after the announcement of the takeover of the local rugby club (ASBH / ProD2) by l former president of Toulouse René Bouscatel, to the detriment of investors from the Emirates.
"We're playing with fire. I'm going to bring everyone around a table. We will see those who prefer themselves to the future of the club. Otherwise, we will end up being the laughingstock of the rugby world", said during a press conference, Mr. Ménard, re-elected in the first round of municipal elections on March 15.
The investors of the Emirates, represented by the ex-international Christophe Dominici, denounced the conditions under which they had been excluded from the recovery process, in favor of a project carried by a shareholder of the club, supported by René Bouscatel, brought to the presidency of the ASBH, plagued by financial problems.
"I was surprised on Tuesday to see the press release from the club mentioning the appointment of Mr. Bouscatel. (...) I regret having been so little informed. This is incorrect vis-à-vis the mayor that I am, "he said, preferring" a local solution ".
"But it must provide two answers around a sporting and financial project. I do not see a project for the current management. However, we will have to find money because the club needs it. And Mr. Bouscatel does didn't tell me it brought a euro, "said Robert Ménard.
Historical club of French rugby (11 championship titles between 1961 and 1984), AS Béziers evolves in Pro D2.
Mr. Ménard indicated that the city of Béziers paid 900,000 euros of annual subsidy to the club (for a budget of 8 M EUR) and that the recent renovation of the Raoul-Barrière stadium had cost 5.7 million euros.
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