Sport: a social link, an economic function?

by Max BERTAGNA

Thirteen million adherents, 190,000 sporting associations, millions of devotees.
What is sport? A zone of freedom, a social fact, an economic market, a media tool, a job-creator…?

For each of these questions, Jean-François Lamour, Youth and Sports Minister, has some responses: "practicing sports improves the social fabric. I'm very proud of our way of organisation, which is based on an associative platform that includes 190,000 sports associations, 13 million memberships, and over 1.5 million volunteers."

The Employee Athletic and Gymnastic Federation says, "Playing is what counts! In our committee, the FSGT-13, everything is done to de-emphasise competition and encourage interaction."

Their president, Claude Jorda, adds, "An adversary is actually a friend that helps me advance. The FSGT is a project for practicing sport. A zone of freedom where we can build something together."

As for the President of the Mediterranean Alps County League, Joël Peyric, he affirms, "First of all, we refuse the commercial aspect of sports. These days there is a policy for big events that is costly. But when it comes to building a stadium, there is no more money. That's not right!"

Association - 13 Envie de Sport - En route pour Barcelone

The Provence-Alps-Côte-d'Azur Region's Olympic and athletic project: "To make a sport for everyone, together."

Over one million memberships in the Provence-Alps-Côte-d'Azur Region-that's one-fifth of the region's population. This figure is a clear reminder of the vitality of sport in the 12,000 clubs of the region's six counties. The legitimate envoys of the athletic movement, the elected representatives from the Regional and the County Olympic and Sports Committees intend on working together in the framework of a veritable area athletic policy. Their goal is to propagate the fundamental principles of the Olympic spirit, to promote unity within the region's athletic movement, to encourage the development of sport to a higher level for everyone, and to work in accordance with the Olympic Charter.

An article on sport in the upcoming European Constitution

In their Legisport Athletic Legal Newsletter, two eminent jurists, Mr. Michel Pautot and his son Serge, a doctorate and an attorney-at-law in Marseille, explain: "The word 'sports' was never expressed in the March 25, 1957 Treaty at Rome, nor in the Maastricht Treaty. This gap shall soon be filled. On June 18th, 2004, the Chiefs of State and governments unanimously adopted the European Constitution containing an article specifically pertaining to sports. In the terms of Article III-182: "The European Union contributes to the promotion of Europe's stake in sports, wholly taking specificities and structures into account, well-founded on volunteering as well as on educational social function."

Colin Miege says, "The response of an addition of an article concerning sports in primary EU law is something the athletic movement has wanted for a long time." Now it is up to the 25 EU member
states to ratify this constitution so that the article can be applicable.

In Marseille: Luminy's future Phys-Ed University

The Bouches du Rhône County Council has strongly established itself in the plan, notably as magnum opus of the major operations necessary for structuring higher education and research in the county. The construction/ rehabilitation project of the Physical Education Department of the University of the Mediterranean at Luminy in Marseille illustrates their investment, for operations that constitute a gamble for the future of Bouches-du-Rhône. The construction work, placed under control of the county, began in February 2004. The future Physical Education Department will include the existing building (to be renovated), with a 2000 m2 surface area, and an extension, a new building with a surface area of about 5000 m2, that will connect to the existing building via a reception hall opening to an interior patio. About 1600 students will come to train on the campus. Out of a total cost of 14 million euro, the County Council has invested more than 7 million euro in this project, the Region having contributed
3.58 million euros and the State 3.37 million euros.

Trophies are motivators and bonuses that spur on the sporting clubs

Each year the County Council lauds top athletes from the Bouches-du-Rhône, giving them trophies for flying the county colours high. In October, 32 athletes and four clubs were awarded at the 2004 Sports Trophies ceremony at Marseille's County Hall. Among the deserving winners were 23 athletes who had participated at last summer's Olympic Games and Special Olympics in Athens.

For an explanation of the institutions' passion and commitment to sports, we consulted René Olmeta, Vice-President of the County Council's Sports Department, who explained to us the county's sports policy, its actions and its vision of the future.

Mr. Olmeta: "For several years the County Council has had an eye on sport and has multiplied its actions in its favour. We must recall that sports are one of the domains of the county councils. It's a political act to sanction a budget over four years, one which has grown to 24 million euro and has been distributed among a number of choices.

"I granted aid to the associations, for the associative movement is essentially made up of volunteers and needs encouragement. This was done by varying criteria, which were discussed and recognised by the County Olympic and Sports Committee, which represents 50% of the budget. The second priority was to take strong action in favour of social sport, which represents 25 % of the budget - for example, field trips to either the sea or the ski lifts are arranged during school vacations. "This is intended for 11 to 15-year old children of modest families who are the first to benefit from this County Council initiative. The third and final action - one which represents 25% of the budget - is that of sport events like Open 13, the Marseille-Cassis Run, the "Bosses du 13" (a cycling race). However, I'm putting the accent more heavily on school sports, after having participated in the School Sports Administration Council (UNSS, Union Nationale Sport Scolaire). I announced that, despite the difficulties confronting the County Councils, notably the transfer of costs, we're always going to steer our priorities towards school and social sports. This is the attitude held by County Council President Jean Noël Guerini, too. With the National Education Ministry, at the level of the Academy (the regional level), we're also opening debate on the problem of violence in sports and steroid abuse, with the assistance of Mr. Biamonti, bronze medalist in karate. His meetings with pupils have boosted their awareness of the detrimental effects of violence."

The big sports clubs also help with finding employment

Successfully launched at the end of 2003 by the temp agency Creyf'Interim, in partnership with the Lens Racing Club, Operation "Working Partners" has built itself up to the national level, along with prestigious football and rugby clubs. This organisation is founded upon simple, ingenious ideas to help the unemployed reintegrate into the job market. During home games, out-of-work spectators can leave their CVs in the specified bins located at the stadiums while partner corporations can come to propose recruiting. It's been a verified success. Since 2003, in Lens alone, 600 CVs were collected and 370 jobs were offered, including about 200 full-time positions among them. In order to promote this action on a more national level, Creyf's has chosen to associate themselves with France's most popular football club, l'Olympique de Marseille. The task of matchmaking companies and job-searchers can only be facilitated when it happens in a site as mythic as Marseille's Velodrome Stadium, which has a capacity of 60,000 fans and 250 partner corporations. This operation, launched last September at the Marseille-Toulouse match, succeeded in garnering 150 CVs - an encouraging start… In 2003, the temp agency received the Award for Innovation from France's Ministry of Employment for this initiative.

The concept of partnership for both professionals and amateurs :
The Banks also play the game …

Société Générale Bank, official partner of the French 15-Player Rugby Federation since 1987, is an enlightening example, having prolonged this partnership all the way to June 2008. The company reinforces its commitment to rugby while developing a dynamic and well-known image out of its affiliation with this popular sport, a big asset to its marketing strategy. Thanks to this extension, the company will have further opportunity to market itself, notably at two major events in 2007: the 20th anniversary of the partnership itself, and the Rugby-15 World Cup, which will take place in France from September 7 to October 20, 2007.

In pursuit of this media-conscious approach, the company has officially joined the world of athletic sponsoring, this time in England. The Société Générale Warrants have signed a three-year long partnership with the Saracens Club, now in England's premiership division. A director's explanation says it all, "The Warrants and Rugby have very solid, close links. They both are very dynamic and strongly growing products."

Equipe Treize - Photo Robert Poulian

France's Languedoc-Roussillon-Septimanie Region is also boosting its image via Montpellier's brilliant handball team. With 14 titles in ten years, seven of which as national champions and in the champions' league, Georges Frêche, Mayor of Montpellier, can outline the bases of a veritable development policy for the sport. From now on, the "Canayer" men will wear the region's logo at all Champions League matches. The Olympique de Marseille and French houseware chain, Leroy Merlin, also signed an agreement for the 2004-05 season. That's when all the teams from the Training Centre and the Amateurs Section will wear Leroy Merlin's company colours. With the amateurs, it's a first in Marseille: the clubs from Plan de Cuques and ASPTT Marseille signed a partnership dedicating to training avid youth. It's an original way to consolidate their potential and assure their future, targeting integration at a high level.

Sport and money, trouble ahead!

Athletes are today's new stars, the marketing icons… But what are the dangers of the sports business? In their September/October 2004 edition, the Légisport* newsletter signalled, "According to the central Corruption Prevention Department, sports have become one of the outlets for money laundering." The SCPC's 2003 report cites no sport in particular except for horseracing, which is described as "an ideal way to launder cash." But they don't cite the name of any specific club or incidents, either. Sponsoring teams or events can be a productive investment, but creating infrastructures, investing capital in a team, acquiring high-level players and winning games are all conducive to the act of easy laundering of large quantities of cash, describes the report. This investment also attracts generous sponsors, who sometimes invest in sports after having financed a hospital or a school.

* Source: Légisport, the Sports Law Information Bulletin; Me. Pautot, Editorial Director.

Should sports clubs be listed on the stock market?

It's a question being asked often these days and a claim made by French pro football club directors, who stress their financial inferiority compared to certain, listed European clubs. Opinions are most divided on the subject…

Jean-René Denis, Finance Director, delivered a report to the Sports Ministry on "certain aspects of pro athletics in France," in which he declares himself in favour of being listed on the stock market. "The right to make a public investment appeal in the name of maintaining club directors' autonomy should be recognised by the sports companies, notably with the purpose of consolidating the level of clubs' equity capital."

Sports Minister Jean François Lamour understands that "the French clubs aren't economically competitive on the European level," although he nonetheless reaffirms that the possibility of entering the market is not a realistic solution, and he eschews any change in legislation on the subject, just like Mme Marie-Georges Buffet did in her time. And recently, the Financial Market Authority (AMF) refused a request by football club Olympique Lyonnaise's holding company to list it on the market, saying that it would constitute a misappropriation of the law on the sport.

Alain Manoury

Member of the central committee of the French Tae-Kwan-do Federation and delegate to the High-Profile Sports section of the Provence-Alps Regional Olympic Committee.

ASI : What is the training and redeployment like for high-level athletes?

A.M. : "In my opinion, nothing is perfect, but currently thanks to the work of the Regional Associative Department of Youth and Sports and with the National Education Ministry's regional authorities, there are possibilities of improving training for high-level athletes. There is a willingness to help these athletes, who have serious training demands but also need help with their studies and becoming full-fledged members of society. More than national aid, we mustn't forget the assistance given by the local authorities. Insertion contracts also exist for high-level pro athletes, who are managed by the Director of the Regional Associative Department of Youth and Sports' sophisticated social monitoring."

ASI : What are the possible consequences for a discipline where an athlete wins an Olympic medal?

A.M. : "The consequences can be enormous! For example, the bronze medal won by Pascal Gentil in 2002 led to increase the number of registered sportsmen in Provence-Alps-Côte-d'Azur from 3500 to nearly 5200, implying a 50% rise. As you can see, this provoked a huge rush of impulse in favour of the specialty."

Pascal Gentil, Alain Manoury, membre du CD de la FF Tae kwondo
et Myriam Baverel, médaille d’argent aux derniers JO,