The controversy against the backdrop of the ecological crisis surrounding Kylian Mbappé in recent hours has caused a lot of reaction, including in the microcosm of ASVEL. The Villeurbannais club, owned by Tony Parker and OL Groupe (with Jean Michel Aulas), as well as Olympique Lyonnais, intend to put in place a well-defined plan linked to this boiling subject!
To understand this controversy, we must return to the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes, played on Saturday. Despite the short distance between the two cities, PSG used a private jet to bring its players to Loire-Atlantique. A much criticized choice, which initiated a great debate on the club’s modes of travel. Launched on the subject on Monday, Christophe Galtier and Kylian Mbappé adopted a reaction that is even more scandalous:
« We’re trying to see if we can travel by sand yacht. »
Christophe Galtier and Kylian Mbappe could not hold in their laughs when asked about PSG taking a private jet for a short trip to a game in Nantes last weekend ???? pic.twitter.com/UxIQvKtDFm
— SPORF (@Sporf) September 6, 2022
The strong reaction of the OL/ASVEL duo to the Mbappé scandal
At a time when the environmental crisis is intensifying, this lack of consideration displayed by an international star like Mbappé outrages more than one. It is in this context that Jean-Michel Aulas, president of Olympique Lyonnais, celebrated this Tuesday the installation of the 1st seat of the LDLC Arena, intended in part for ASVEL. For this symbolic meeting, the ecological question found itself at the heart of the debates, as reported Olympique and Lyonnais.
Installation of the 1st seat of @LDLC_Arena. Jm #Classes : “There is no air conditioning (tent installed for the occasion) but it is voluntary. (…). It is true that sometimes football is not exemplary in this area. » pic.twitter.com/ukFwyc1lCl
– Olympic-and-Lyonnais (@oetl) September 6, 2022
The press conference held for the occasion therefore took place in very hot weather, without worrying the organizers. Quite the contrary. Ecology was also one of the crucial points raised in this exchange with the media. Through Mr. Aulas, OL Groupe, of which ASVEL is a member, has thus announced that it intends to take important measures, including for its new hall which will host EuroLeague matches. Lyon Mag reports:
OL wants to reduce the annual energy consumption of its infrastructure by 20%. And in the coming months, the group must increase its resources by 20%, in particular thanks to photovoltaics. Solar panels have been installed in the huge outdoor car parks at Groupama Stadium. Xavier Pierrot, Deputy Managing Director in charge of the stadium and the Arena project, indicated that 80% of the enclosure’s consumption is now produced by these panels.
With his viral and criticized reaction, Kylian Mbappé obviously had the merit of bringing the debate linked to ecology in sport to the fore. ASVEL and OL Groupe have already bounced back, and are clearly putting it at the center of their thinking for the LDLC Arena!
