Paris (AFP)

After several months of a sometimes painful parenthesis, the world of sport, from the small associative club to the sports halls, sees with "relief" a gradual return to normal until the end of June, even if some fear the effects of too late a recovery.

Finally, the end of the tunnel in sight ... Weariness had almost turned into resignation, so many months of closure, constraints, have accumulated for sports fans, sports halls, clubs and associations.

So of course, the announcements of President Emmanuel Macron to the regional press on Thursday on the deconfinement calendar were particularly well received.

"We will be almost a year, 11 months to be precise, that we were closed if we reopen as announced on June 9", recalls the co-founder of Neoness, Céline Wisselink (37 sports halls, editor's note).

"It's a huge relief. We've been waiting for this for a long time. We knew we wouldn't be in the first wave of May for outdoor activities, we are more indoors."

- "Good for the morale of the French" -

According to this calendar, the sports halls will be able to reopen from June 9 with respect to the gauges and adapted protocols.

On this date, contactless sports should be allowed again indoors, with a return to full normalcy envisaged on June 30.

"I think it's good to have a prospect of return for the clubs," said Emmanuelle Bonnet-Oulaldj, co-president of the Sports and Gymnastics Federation of Labor (FSGT), and candidate for the presidency of the CNOSF.

"What is important is what concerns the gatherings, for the local associative life. And that is important that it can resume."

A cautious enthusiasm, as the political announcements have had "difficulty in translating concretely and clearly", since the beginning of this crisis, recalls Emmanuelle Bonnet-Oulaldj.

"It's like for restaurants, we are very happy with the announcement of this reopening", also believes Brigitte Linder, president of the National Federation of Rural Sport, which brings together about 700 clubs.

"People have been deprived of activity, obesity has increased, morale is not very good. Already, to think that we are going to resume it will do good for the morale of the French," she says. .

However, like others, this prospect of the end of June does not completely delight her.

"End of June is the end of the sports season. It means that for small clubs, in economic terms, the year 2021 is dead. There people will register for the 2022 season. It is coming a bit. too late for the sports movement, ”she regrets.

Even if for a few weeks, amateur sport had been counting on a blank year, after having already received at the beginning of the year more than a third of memberships less, for some clubs or associations, the boxes will remain hopelessly empty this season.

The CNOSF already evoked at the end of last year nearly a billion euros less in the funds of clubs and federations.

"I hope that in September people will be able to come back to the clubs, because there it is dramatic. But I am optimistic", anticipates Brigitte Linder.

Clubs and associations have also paid a heavy human price during this crisis, in addition to financial losses.

- "Fed up" -

"We had a lot of trouble renewing the management teams in the clubs, and some were fed up with it," explains Brigitte Linder.

"A recovery in June will perhaps allow a call for air for September, but it is true that it arrives a little late", recognizes Emmanuelle Bonnet-Oulaldj.

For sports halls, caution is also required on a possible return to normal.

"In fact I think we will see when we have reopened, and that we will be sure that all this is well behind us", nuance Céline Wisselink.

"I can't wait to see our customers in real life, she adds. But it's still a huge relief to be able to tell our teams that they will be able to resume their activities, and also for us because we will finally resume. normal activity, and stop lobbying for help and reopening. "

© 2021 AFP