NM1 (20th day). Fougères – Cep Lorient: 95-75
Can you tell us about Tuesday evening, when you faced Fougères?
We started the game knowing that there would be no 24 seconds (the sign that indicates the time remaining in a possession). Then, after 13 seconds, the clock stopped. There were tests for a very long time to find out if it would work before we were told that we had to change rooms. We walked in the rain for 10 minutes (to reach the Mimi-Renno room, located about 400 m away), dressed with a coat. When we arrived, we realized that the 24-second sign still didn’t work and neither did the fault sign. So, we found ourselves playing an entire match with 24 seconds announced in the referee’s voice, which we heard very little, and without any fouls during the entire first period. The circumstances were very surprising, no one had ever experienced this.
Have you considered not playing?
We were on hold all the time. From 6 p.m., we warmed up. Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., we were on standby. It was a bit lunar, we didn’t really have much choice. We followed what we were told. When we arrived, we said to ourselves that we had to put that aside. In the end, the panel didn’t work either so we waited again. We followed the progress minute by minute.
Did that end up taking you out of your match?
There are two analyses. The sportsman, with a match which still took place and which we lost (95-75). But we must not neglect that the regulations of the Federation are very specific, that our club is very committed to this in order to be irreproachable. So, warm up, stop, warm up again, stop, go to a new room with signs that don’t work either, 24 seconds announced by the referees… It’s strange, disturbing, lunar, these are not good conditions. They were not brought together to have a high-level match with the approvals of the regulations. Afterwards, it still took place and that’s it. With the defeat, it really makes for a very bitter evening. Reservations have been made, it will be up to the Federation to decide. And it’s not a story about being a sore loser, because they were asked before the match, in the first room, then in the second. We’re in the wrong position but it would have been exactly the same for any team. This is not a good image of the N1.
How disruptive is it not to have the 24 seconds?
When you play without seeing the time remaining, whether it’s 24 seconds or even the general time, because we didn’t have a board on one side… We were caught twice in the first period.
