Paris Basketball hosts Boulazac at the Adidas Arena on Sunday, October 18, at 4:30 PM, following a public dispute over Betclic ELITE scheduling constraints raised by Paris president David Kahn. The fixture follows a 90-81 EuroLeague defeat for Paris in Belgrade on Friday night, leaving the club less than 48 hours to prepare for domestic competition against an opponent that defeated them twice in three meetings last season.
The friction originated from a September 20 appearance by Kahn on RMC, where he criticized the demands of the French calendar. “It’s difficult for a club like ours to play in the championship, week after week,” Kahn said on the broadcast. “You play at such a level in EuroLeague, then on Sunday, for example, you go to play in Boulazac.” Boulazac responded immediately with an ironic statement titled “Pardon d’être en Betclic ELITE,” emphasizing that its top-flight status rests on its sporting results.
David Kahn Offers an Apology to Boulazac While Pressing for Calendar Reform
Ahead of the match, David Kahn told L’Équipe that his initial phrasing lacked tact. “I feel bad about mentioning them,” Kahn said. “We respect everyone, especially the clubs that beat us. Which they did two times out of three last season.” Despite the apology, Kahn maintained his stance on the French league’s structure, calling on the Ligue Nationale de Basket to alleviate the burden on clubs competing in European competitions. “I would like the League to reinvent its format so that these clubs [including Paris] play less and the others play more,” he told L’Équipe.
Demain 16h30 à la maison. Faudra être là. 👊 pic.twitter.com/Q7UJ1ZZOWI
The financial disparity between the two organizations underlines the debate. Paris enters the season with a budget of 30.8 million euros alongside annual losses estimated at around 10 million euros driven largely by EuroLeague participation costs, according to Le Parisien. Boulazac operates on a budget of approximately 4.2 million euros.
Antoine Eito and Alexandre Ménard Respond to Paris Basketball
Boulazac player Antoine Eito criticized the remarks in an interview with Sud Ouest, arguing that the comments disparaged historical French clubs. “It wasn’t even to defend my club, but our basket,” Eito said. “You can’t afford to have remarks like that. When he did that, he touched not only us, but he also touched Limoges, Chalon-sur-Saône, Le Mans, all these teams that have been here for years. It’s the king shitting on his jesters.” Eito also took issue with Paris Basketball labeling the upcoming fixture a “new clasico,” calling it misplaced sarcasm.
Boulazac coach Alexandre Ménard sought to defuse the tension, telling Sud Ouest that Kahn’s remarks were “perhaps more clumsy than malicious” and adding that the controversy belonged in the past. Eito echoed the sentiment of moving forward while maintaining competitive focus: “I’m past that age. I fed on that a lot all my career, doing little things for big things. I don’t have the energy for that anymore. We want to piss them off with our weapons and our basket. Come what may.”
Philippe Ausseur Weighs In on League Expansion and Historic Clubs
Philippe Ausseur, president of the Ligue Nationale de Basket, addressed the controversy in Le Parisien, acknowledging that Kahn raised a legitimate debate about the calendar while condemning the delivery. “These remarks are inappropriate in relation to Boulazac, its managers, players, and supporters,” Ausseur said. “It’s a club that deserves its place. It must also be said that every club is someone else’s Boulazac. We always find someone more powerful than ourselves.” Ausseur added that the LNB aims to support new projects in major urban centers like Marseille, Toulouse, and Montpellier without sacrificing historic clubs rooted in smaller communities.
