More than ever, the future of Biarritz Olympique is compromised.
This Wednesday, the newspaper Sud-Ouest revealed that the owner of the club, Louis-Vincent Gave, and its president, Baptiste Aldigé, wanted to separate from the club as quickly as possible.
Before the end of the season if possible.
The BO would even be on sale for a symbolic euro.
The team, resident of Pro D2 since 2022, risks liquidation at the end of the current financial year if no buyer is found.
Contacted by Sud-Ouest, the town hall of Biarritz nevertheless avoided the subject: “The important question is not whether the management of the club will leave or stay but that people who love rugby return to the stadium to support their team which needs it,” said Maider Arosteguy, the city’s mayor.
A failed move to San Sebastian
Behind the decision of the Biarritz leaders to leave the club lies the failure of the change of stadium last January.
The BO said it was ready to invest 15 million euros to renovate the Miniestadio d'Anoeta in San Sebastián and play its home matches there.
But the town hall of the Basque city judged that Baptiste Aldigé's project lacked seriousness.
However, the Biarritz president wants to make the stadium the engine of his club's economic model.
And he believes that the Aguilera sports park in Biarritz, where the club currently plays, does not allow it.
According to the leaders of the BO, the competition from Aviron Bayonnais, 5 km away, is too strong.
They therefore no longer wish to participate in the renovations of the Aguilera stadium.
Also read “The time to add other players”: should the French XV anticipate generational renewal?
Biarritz Olympique is currently in a critical situation.
This Tuesday, Baptiste Aldigé was already in the news.
The Biarritz president was accused by an octogenarian of having attacked him, as revealed by Sud-Ouest.
An act that he denies: “It looks like an action to harm me and my reputation through exploitation of the local press.
»
On the sporting side, the situation is also catastrophic: the BO gets closer to relegation every weekend.
Penultimate in Pro D2, the team coached by Simon Mannix has only 7 victories in 21 matches.