Villeurbanne (AFP)

Under the leadership of Tony Parker, its chairman-shareholder since 2014, Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne obtained an agreement in principle on a permanent presence in the Euroleague, settling in the long term in the most important interclub basketball competition behind the American NBA.

The announcement was made Friday in Villeurbanne by the president of the organizing body of the competition, Jordi Bertomeu, during a press conference.

"I hope that at the earliest, end of February-beginning of March, we can announce the validation of the agreement and the integration of Asvel as a long-term member of the Euroleague. We are sure that it is a good decision and now we are waiting for the formalization, ”he said.

"It is very important for us to have a French representative in the competition", added Bertomeu.

Asvel will become the 12th Euroleague club (out of 18 participants this season) to have a permanent A license, joining European basketball mastodons such as FC Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, or again the Efes Istanbul.

The deal, once validated, will guarantee him a presence in the second best basketball league in the world behind the NBA for the next ten seasons.

Asvel's obtaining this permanent license is the fruit and the culmination of a long effort put in place by Tony Parker, since he took a stake in the Rhone club in 2009.

Five years later, "TP" became president and majority shareholder, and launched the club in the Euroleague adventure, obtaining in spring 2018 an invitation for two seasons (from 2019 to 2021) to prove itself, more 'a financial stability point of view and the medium-term project than a strictly sports point of view.

- a determining role -

In an interview with AFP before the start of the 2020/21 season, the Euroleague boss praised the role played by the MVP of the 2007 NBA Finals in the development of Asvel.

"I think Asvel is on the right track. From Asvel, I really like the owner's vision, the structure of the club."

Comments he confirmed on Friday.

"It was our N.1 goal since I took over the club in 2014 to join the Euroleague for life and the discussions on Friday morning were very positive. I can't wait for it to become official. We really are. close to the finish line. I am really happy ", rejoiced Tony Parker, who did not fail to associate his partner Jean-Michel Aulas in the success of this company.

The rapprochement at the beginning of summer 2019, just before Asvel's arrival in the Euroleague, between Tony Parker and the boss of Olympique Lyonnais for 33 years, was the next stage of the project, with the entry of OL Groupe into the capital of Asvel (33%).

The operation increased the club's budget, which now stands at almost 12 million euros for the 2020/21 season (compared to just over 8 million four seasons ago), despite the uncertainties linked to the health crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.

This merger between the two strong men of Lyon sport will lead for the 2023/24 season to the delivery of a new multipurpose hall with 15,000 seats on the OL Vallée site in Décines-Charpieu.

The construction of this Arena was approved by the Métropole de Lyon in mid-December 2020 - a "very big step" Parker said three weeks ago, with a view to obtaining a permanent license in the Euroleague.

It is now done and the club will be able to look more serenely towards the future.

The next step to be taken, sporty this time, will be to hook the Euroleague play-offs in the coming seasons by taking one of the first eight places in the regular season, before hoping to see the Final. 4.

© 2021 AFP