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Béziers, the legend of rugby, bought by petrodollars

The deal is nearing completion. Finally. After two months of a series with incredible twists and turns, the sale of the Béziers club should be finalized in the coming days. A small revolution in ovalia: for the first time, the funds come from the Arabian peninsula, in this case from the United Arab Emirates.

Football is certainly already used to seeing petrodollars rain. But this time, things don’t happen in Paris or Manchester. No, it’s in Hérault, and for a training classified in the soft belly of proD2 – Béziers is 9e of this season shortened by the coronavirus. There is talk of an investment of 30 million euros. Billionaire’s fad?

→ ANALYSIS. Very active sports diplomacy in the United Arab Emirates

Many mysteries remain about the motivations of the businessman who supposedly provides the funds alone. Samir Ben Romdhane, 58, has still not shown himself on the side of Béziers, leaving the former player of the XV of France Christophe Dominici to carry the project. It is in fact the ex-international who landed in the ball at the head, at the beginning of May 2020, to propose a recovery falling in time.

Béziers has suffered in recent years from recurring financial problems. Already in 2013, then at the end of 2018, the gendarmes of the National Directorate of Aid and Management Control (DNACG) had to crack down, penalizing the club by a few points of withdrawal. But this time, things are much more serious: we are talking about a deficit of 3 to 5 million euros. The threat of demotion to the lower divisions looms over the club.

Liars and Liar Poker

However, the project defended with an enthusiasm sometimes unbridled by Christophe Dominici was not easily imposed in the Hérault sub-prefecture. Stupor first, mistrust then, then confusion and liar poker led in the last fortnight of June to the appearance of a counter-project, defended this time by the lawyer René Bouscatel, the historic president of the Stade toulousain ( from 1992 and 2017), with the approval of the current owners.

This last-minute solution, out of the hat when negotiations seemed to be progressing with Christophe Dominici, provoked a black anger from the latter and a few vehement remarks from both sides. The mayor of the city, Robert Ménard, ended up putting everyone around the table.

Consequence: the withdrawal of René Bouscatel’s project and the resumption in force of the UAE takeover. The credibility of the latter, in fact long questioned, was finally imposed. The presence of Thierry Braillard, Secretary of State for Sports for three years (from 2014 to 2017) during the Hollande presidency, as counsel for Samir Ben Romdhane, weighed in the balance. As well as the validation of funds by a large French bank, and their authentication by Tracfin, the body of the Ministry of Finance which tracks their origin. The question remains: to bet on Béziers, is the game worth the candle?

Building on the legend of “Grand Béziers”

Investing in this club means buying an image, or rather a legend. That of the “Grand Béziers”, this monstrous team which reigned without sharing over the 1970s. The club had won its first title in 1961. But it was from 1971 that the Biterroise Sports Association systematically took control of the title champion of France: ten times until 1984. It was the work of an outstanding coach, the former pillar Raoul Barrière, who won the nickname “Sorcerer Sorcerer”, the name of the stadium then renamed today by his surname in homage to the strategist who died in 2019. Nothing magical, however, but a perfect mastery of the game from the front, the tough guys who, in the fray, made little wood of opponents.

The style of the time is effective but considered to be well limited by lovers of beautiful flights. It prevents. This Béziers remains a major landmark in the history of ovalism, especially since 80% of the local players were running the machine. Even today, the club retains a very strong identity.

Perhaps Samir Ben Romdhane, who also has a French passport, is not insensitive to legend. And maybe he participates, “Close to royal power” from Abu Dhabi as claimed by Christophe Dominici, to this sporting diplomacy to which all the Persian Gulf monarchies are engaged.

If this is the case, the choice of rugby is a string to the bow that the United Arab Emirates are increasingly tending to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The ambitions in any case are enormous, as evidenced by the recruitments already underway (read below). Béziers was a master in France for a long time. It is now a question of making it a “great Europe”.

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High-end recruitment

Stars, and more stars. Probable future sporting director of the club, Christophe Dominici promises recruitment in solid gold to the supporters of Biter.

The names of Benjamin Fall, the 31-year-old French international (14 caps) left free by Montpellier, Loop, Ma’a Nonu, the New Zealand winger with 103 caps, 38 years old, or his teammate much younger (28), the third line Jordan Taufua. A time announced, cadors like the Welsh opening half Dan Biggar or the second English line Courtney Lawes finally declined the offer. On the coaching side, former Australia coach Michael Cheika is also in negotiations.

The strategy is similar to that of Mourad Boudjellal, who arrived at the head of Toulon in proD2 in 2006 and spent without counting. RC Toulon was European champion for three consecutive years, from 2013 to 2015.

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