"Many wonder why they stopped Ligue 1 so quickly"

• On Wednesday, the Senate rejected a proposed amendment aimed at allowing sports federations and professional leagues to end their season, definitively stopped at the end of April by government decision.
• Michel Savin, senator Les Républicains, is the one who defended this amendment in session.
• He answers the questions of "20 Minutes".

The political world, too, remains adamant. On Wednesday, the Senate rejected the amendment aimed at allowing sports federations and professional leagues to "decide to resume professional competitions if the health situation allows and after the opinion of the committee of scientists". It concerned in particular Ligue 1, while the other main European championships have resumed (Germany) or are in the process of doing so (Spain, Italy, England). But the government, followed by a majority of parliamentarians, does not intend to go back. For the Republican Michel Savin, member of various missions and commissions concerning sport and who defended the amendment in session, it will however be necessary for the debate on the need to take a firm decision at the end of April to take place.

How do you react after the rejection of your proposed amendment?

We don't win every time. We were 70 co-signers, the objective was first of all to have a debate on the decisions that were taken, and in particular that of the Prime Minister who decided to stop the championships of professional sports competitions. It was an opportunity to ask questions, knowing that the purpose of the amendment was to give Federations and Leagues the opportunity to resume. But we saw this clearly during the debates and with the questions that were asked, many wonder why having made such a decision so quickly and not having, as other European countries have done, decided to wait to know the evolution of the health situation to make a final decision. The decision may not be the same today as it was in April.

Do you think that even within the majority, some people think that this is too hasty a decision?

We can clearly see this in the debates. And I think there will be even more in the coming days, the next weeks, if the championships do resume in Spain, Italy or England. If in a few weeks France is the only country not to have taken over, many will wonder why.

Of the seven largest European championships, France is the only one to have chosen to stop the 2019-2020 season by a simple declaration by the Prime Minister on April 28, a situation that calls into question. What factors led to such a decision? # Ligue1Conforama # Ligue2 pic.twitter.com/71jxIfnpnr

Do you really think that the government, the FFF and the LFP can backtrack?

I can see that today there is a common front on this position. But beyond the sporting challenges, there are also economic challenges. When we see for example that the broadcasters have suspended their contributions, it is more than 200 million euros that are at stake. It should not be the priority, it remains the sanitary situation and the health of the players as spectators, but the economic aspect must also be taken into account. If in a few weeks the Parliament has to debate measures to put in place to support professional sport, and in particular football, with public money, one might wonder if the right decisions have been made. It was normal, in the first phase of the judgment, for the state to support with partial and other unemployment. But now, the question of knowing if this situation could stop in June or in July with a resumption of the competitions arises.

How do you interpret the fact that Roxana Maracineanu welcomes the rejection of the amendment?

The fact that the Minister of Sports welcomes the fact that there is no longer any sport is somewhat surprising.

But isn't the health risk still present?

The clubs have developed very rigorous health protocols. For having discussed with a lot of club presidents in recent days, all tell me that in clubs today the medical staff are at the point, they closely monitor the players, the staff, the families of the players. Everything is in place to provide as many guarantees as possible.

We still lack hindsight to know if the Germans did well to resume, right?

Effectively. But in Spain things are progressing, in England and in Italy too. With us, there is no discussion. This is what shocks me the most. I'm not saying you have to start at all costs. The amendment was there to give the possibility of having this debate internally, to wonder if the situation had changed and if it could allow to envisage a resumption. We imposed nothing. Today, what is imposed is the stop.

The professional leagues do not want the Senate amendment for a recovery https://t.co/6H8ggmCx0O

Is this crisis the right time to start thinking about the governance of professional football, and perhaps its economic model, which is proving to be fragile?

Yes, and the political should have its full share in this reflection. All this cannot be done only on the scale of France, it would be necessary to reflect on the European scale. I hear the clubs who rightly say that if you want to be competitive in Europe you have to have the means to be competitive, especially economically. But today we can also see the limits of the system. We hear that clubs are in great financial difficulty. We must learn the lessons from all of this, and go further by reflecting on the global economic model of football.

What are the avenues to explore? A salary cap, or at least a better controlled payroll, the establishment of an emergency fund to activate in the event of an unforeseen crisis?

We have to reflect on these different subjects. We look at what is happening in foreign countries, for example in professional sport in the United States. The payroll is framed on a club level. Then, inside the structure, it is up to the managers to distribute the salaries. Why not think about it. We must learn the lessons from this health and economic crisis, ask ourselves whether the clubs could not effectively have an emergency fund, that we have guarantees in the clubs' accounts on an amount that is reserved in the event of need. There may be other issues to address, such as that of player agents. Considerable sums are brewed, we feel that there is an imbalance somewhere.

Do you think there should be more transparency overall?

It takes more transparency, perhaps, and also a little courage to make the right decisions and prevent one day, the bubble burst.

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