Cholet Basket does not lose heart. Thursday evening, its president Jérôme Mérignac sent a press release to the media to respond to the general manager of the National Basketball League Michel Mimran, for comments made during an interview given to Europe 1 concerning the use of Norris Cole, leader of ASVEL, 40 seconds at the start of the game last Sunday when he had just learned that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
“This situation is regrettable, but it only lasted 40 seconds, he said. The ASVEL coach can be blamed for having made the decision a few seconds late, but he I have to be right. I want to say that this situation is almost an opportunity, because it happened in a very short time, to take now every time, even more security. The situation is complex, at all times and it was even more so that night. We will make sure that does not happen again, but the debate must calm down. “
But Jérôme Mérignac did not calm down, on the contrary:
“I wish to express my incomprehension and my anger over the remarks made by the Director of the National Basketball League, Mr. Michel MIMRAN, during an interview given yesterday, Wednesday, October 14, to Europe 1.
I inform you that I wrote to the LNB and the Health Committee on Monday to know their position on the fact that the Villeurbanese staff let a player enter the field and play when he knew he was positive for COVID- 19. I am amazed to read the words of Mr. Michel MIMRAN in the press without having received an official response to this letter.
Indeed, Mr. Michel MIMRAN affirms during this interview “This situation is regrettable, but it only lasted 40 seconds. We can blame the ASVEL coach for having made the decision a few seconds late, but we must be right. I want to say that this situation is almost an opportunity, because it happened in a very short time, to take now every time, even more security.
Since the start of the season, we have been committed to respecting a sanitary protocol validated by public ministries and the LNB.
We’re talking about 40 seconds, so what? Even a second would have been too much. And to say that it is an “opportunity”… How can one tolerate an obvious failure to respect the regulations enacted by the LNB itself?
This health protocol requires that “Any asymptomatic player who tests positive must be isolated without delay. ”(Cf. Article 3.1 of the LNB Medical Guide).
Let us not lose sight of the fact that the health of all remains our priority.
Jerome MÉRIGNAC
President Cholet Basket “
