Misunderstanding, anger and… retaliation.
Forced to close in enhanced alert zones since September 25, sports halls are fighting in court to remain open.
To read also: Closed sports halls: the government promises "economic support" to the sector
On Thursday, the Rennes administrative court suspended the closure imposed by prefectural decree until October 10, at the city's sports halls.
“The judge considered the decision of the prefect of Ille-et-Vilaine unjustified and disproportionate
, welcomes Virgile Caillet, general delegate of the professional union Union Sport & Cycle.
Undoubtedly, sports halls are not places of contamination ”
.
A few hours apart, however, the administrative court of Lille rejected the request of the professional unions ... For its judges, the decree
"does not call into question the possibility of practicing sports activities"
and
"Aims only to prohibit, for a period limited in time to fifteen days, physical activities which, because they are carried out in enclosed, covered places, promote contamination and accelerated circulation of the virus"
.
In the same spirit, the courts of Bordeaux, Nice and Rouen have also confirmed the closure of sports halls in these two cities.
A decision is expected in Marseille this Friday morning.
Cacophony
“What is happening is amazing,
regrets Virgile Caillet.
About twenty summary proceedings have already been filed in France.
No prefectural decree is written in the same way: some have more legal loopholes than others.
This cacophony reflects the inconsistency of government decisions ”
.
In Paris, the prefecture must review its copy by Monday at the request of the administrative court.
L'Usine (three premium clubs in the capital) had filed an injunction against the decree imposing the closure of Parisian sports halls.
The prefecture will have to specify
"the physical and sports activities the practice of which should be temporarily prohibited in Paris in the covered rooms of establishments open to the public"
.
“The judges suspended the prefectural decree
, welcomes Patrick Rizzo, co-founder of L'Usine.
With the exception of rooms where social distancing is not possible and those where there are contact sports, all will be able to reopen.
We are pleased to have initiated this movement, and that the tribunal heard us.
It was incomprehensible to have to close, while the dance halls remained open ”
.
According to him, there is no scientific justification for closing sports halls.
“Since the end of May, out of more than 25 million admissions in France, there have only been about 200 cases of Coronavirus identified in sports halls
, insists the leader.
At the Factory, we had one.
In two hours, we contacted all the members who could have met this person, being at the club at the same time ”
.
A thousand small rooms and studios threatened
France has 7,000 private sports establishments (including 4,500 fitness rooms, but also yoga studios, climbing rooms, etc.).
The more the months go by, the more the cash flow of companies becomes problematic.
If they miss the start of the school year, they miss out on the most important time of the year: traditionally, 30% of new subscriptions are signed in September and October.
"The economic situation is dramatic,"
warns Virgile Caillet.
“Because of the second administrative closure, a thousand small rooms and studios are in danger of disappearing,”
thinks Patrick Rizzo.
This is terrible.
Since the beginning of September, people have started to regain their habits by returning to the sports club as before ”.
