Instead of fully savoring their return to the Top 14, Biarritz Olympique, winner of Aviron Bayonnais play-offs (6-5 tab, 6-6) found themselves plunged into turmoil.
This Sunday, the controversy continued to swell, the authorities blaming the BO for non-compliance with barrier measures: health gauge to 5,000 spectators, control of the health pass and ban on the take-away sale of alcoholic drinks within the stadium.
According to a regular at the Parc des Sports d'Aguiléra, the 5,000 mark was largely exceeded.
"For me, we were around 8,500-9,000 spectators, some were even standing on the emergency exits," he says.
“A lot of people have found that you can get in and out of the stadium as you want.
At most, I saw 40 seats that were not occupied.
What is most unjustifiable, for them, is to say that they only sold 5,000 seats.
How did the other people get in then?
The president said the stadium had 6,500 seats.
But, on the Internet, we see that in fact there are 9,450 ”, adds another witness.
During the match, the refreshments were in full swing.
In the stands, many did not wear masks either.
The prefect evokes a "temporary closure of the club"
Very annoyed, the prefect of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Eric Spitz, expressed his anger.
“There were three meetings to settle down to the smallest details the course of the game.
And I see in the Basque Country, where the word has a certain importance, that this word has not been kept, ”he said, promising sanctions.
[#BOAB]
The @ Prefet64 strongly condemns the breaches of sanitary rules during the derby between the #BiarritzOlympique and #AvironBayonnais.
He appealed to the public prosecutor under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure.
Find out more 👇 pic.twitter.com/hsSZUgvHRT
- Prefect of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (@ Prefet64) June 12, 2021
“On the sporting level, the controllers of the National Rugby League were on site, and the police gave them all the information on these shortcomings, continues the prefect. I triggered an article 40 which obliges any official to denounce if he witnesses an offense or a crime with the prosecutor. So he also has the elements and will determine on what possible basis he will open an investigation. There may be administrative sanctions since this club, like many others, has benefited from significant state aid, since it is an establishment open to the public. I have the option of closing it, which will not have any sporting consequences, at least this summer. It is up to me to check whether this aid will continue to be paid or even if the old aid could not be withdrawn ”.
The leaders of the Basque club in the viewfinder
Eric Spitz should quickly summon the leaders of the BO, organizers of the match.
It is the prefect who will take any penalties for the gauge.
The League, which was co-organizer of the match, will be able to summon and sanction the club for non-compliance with health protocol (absence of masks and distancing).
This has been the case this season for Stade Français and Toulon for failing to wear a mask (with fines of 4,000 and 9,000 euros).
“The League has validated a safety and gauge device at 5,000, the NRL told us this Sunday.
The BO confirmed to the League that it had not published more than 5,000 tickets.
The League awaits the BO's explanations to the prefect on the potential exceeding of this gauge and the safety problems observed.
It reserves the right to appeal to the disciplinary committee regarding compliance with the health rules related to Covid ”.
TOP 14 !!!!!!
Aupa BO 🔴⚪️ 🍾🍾🍾 @BOPBweb pic.twitter.com/qT3BRj0Ojh
- Aupa BO (@AupaBOAsso) June 12, 2021
The events in Biarritz come at the worst time for the League.
It is negotiating a waiver to exceed the gauge of 5,000 and increase it to 20,000 for the Top 14 final on June 25 at the Stade de France.
Even if she is not directly responsible for the actions in the stadium, she fears paying the consequences.
The Ministry of Sports awaits explanations
For its part, the Ministry of Sports expects local authorities (prefect, prosecutor) complete information on the course of the facts. "We have no doubt that sanctions will be taken according to the faults committed", one indicates. A letter will also be sent to all the federations, leagues and organizers of sporting events to remind the respect of the protocols and the responsibility of the organizers. Regarding rugby, the Ministry has already approached the NRL to ask it to provide explanations and take the appropriate measures. “The LNR must also provide feedback and define the essential improvements. This will be decisive for the final in particular, even if most of the weekend's meetings went very well, ”continues the Ministry.
Read also Health pass: who will have the right, when and how?
Under fire from critics, the president of Biarritz, Jean-Baptiste Aldigé, tried to defend himself.
"We looked at the software (of tickets sold) and there were 5,000 people, including the five invitations, a little under the cloak, that the sub-prefect of Bayonne had asked me to be at the match him and his family, he told RMC.
The people were happy.
I can't believe we're trying to come and sully that joy.
What I know is that my teams organized this in perfect harmony with the health rules.
The match is gone and there has been no report from referees or delegates about an organizational malfunction.
"