Professional football referee Nicolas Rainville, 39, is Nîmes’ new sports assistant. The elected official intends to use his experience to find solutions to the conflict between President Rani Assaf, the supporters and the municipality.
Objectif Gard: The most sporting savvy Nîmes know you. The others less. Can you introduce yourself ?
Nicolas rainville : I was born in Nîmes 39 years ago. I am married, I have two children: Manon who loves dancing and Louis who does judo (Smile). Nîmes is a city that I have never left. It is a source of pride. I became a professional referee in 1998. This career choice started with a punishment: when I was 15, I played football and had a bad temper. One day, I went to see the referee because I felt that I had experienced an injustice on the pitch. In reaction, my father forced me to go and referee to make me responsible!
So your career starts with a punishment?
Initially, yes. Then I got into the game. I was happy to be able to put some money in my scooter. When I heard my dad say that I had to stop because I wasn’t good enough, that motivated me even more to continue officiating. I have been a referee for the French Football League for 17 years. In two years, I will retire. I have just passed my physiotherapy diploma, I will be practicing next year in a firm in Nîmes.
Why did you agree to be on Jean-Paul Fournier’s list for the 2020 municipal elections?
First, everyone gets together around football. Over the past six years, I have worked with many elected officials such as the former sports assistant, Pascal Gourdel, then Julien Plantier, now first assistant. For several years, these elected officials told me that they could call on me, that they were looking for new blood. At the time I traveled a lot, especially abroad when I was refereeing for the Champions League (from 2012 to 2019). Today at the end of my referee career, I have more time.
Okay, but why get behind the mayor? The Republicans Nimes ?
The first time I voted was in the 2001 municipal elections. No need to tell you who it was for. I saw Jean-Paul Fournier beautify our city with all the beautiful programs such as the Musée de la romanité.
“Football like politics,
these are human relations ”
Today in Nîmes, we cannot talk about sport without mentioning the conflict between Rani Assaf, the president of the Nîmes Olympique club, the supporters and the municipality. What state of mind are you in?
Conflict management is my daily life! Every weekend, I deal with club presidents who are also politicians in the sense of defending the interests of their society. I have 16 years of professional football league behind me. Football, like politics, is about human relations. I know a little what to expect.
What relationship do you have with the president of the Nîmes Olympique club, Rani Assaf?
When Nîmes Olympique moved up to Ligue 1, he asked me two or three times for some advice (Nicolas Rainville is also a technical advisor in arbitration in the Gard-Lozère district, editor’s note). Rani Assaf is a brilliant person. You don’t build an empire like yours if you don’t have a minimum of intelligence. If I want to make it clear, however, that I will not be Nîmes Olympique’s deputy, I think that on this issue I have the ability to bring people together around a table to find solutions.
How did Rani Assaf react after the announcement of your appointment?
Through an intermediary, he made me understand that he was happy that I was there.
“The stands are not lawless areas”
What do you say to a supporter of Nîmes Olympique who refused to sign the charter proposed by Rani Assaf?
I myself am a supporter. Fans must understand that the stands are not lawless areas. You can’t agree with them when they want to use smoke bombs. On December 13, in Toulouse against Rodez, I had to stop a match. I also heard that supporters called the Rodez goalkeeper a “dirty monkey”. The supporters, the City and the club must be able to move forward together on the issues. You will see when the new stadium comes out of the ground, Nîmes Olympique will be sold out.
What sets you apart from your predecessor Laurent Boissier?
Our way of working. I know Laurent relied a lot on his services. I have implemented a new way of communicating. A municipality is like a football locker room. Everything that is said in the locker room stays in the locker room. I have known Laurent Boissier since I was very young. Rani Assaf was his former employer. I can understand that relationships have not always been easy. It cost him a lot to go to Angers. I wish him the best.
Finally, you said it: the sports delegation is not only the Nîmes Olympique. What will your other priorities be?
We lack football fields. The adjoining field where the girls train becomes dangerous. The female Olympic from Marseille complained about it… I asked the sports management to let this lawn rest for three weeks. We also need to renovate the Jean Bouin stadium where the Chemin-Bas team trains. Afterwards we lack a stadium. I hope that if the Nîmes Olympique training center moves to Garons, the stadiums can be reused. In the Gard, there are still 18,000 licensees from the French football federation …
Do you have other projects not necessarily related to football?
I would like the city of Nîmes to develop healthy sport. It can really be a plus for fighting neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s). Our population is increasingly aging and that is costing Social Security dearly.
Interview by Norman Jardin and Coralie Mollaret
