It’s the start of the pre-season at Élan Béarnais. The few players who make up the squad met at the Palais des Sports for the start of intense physical preparation.. They will be joined in a few days by pivot Vitalis Chikoko, and the club’s first recruit, American point guard Michael Stockton. For now, Gérald Ayayi, Giovan Oniangue, but also Fabio Milanese and Enzo Shahrvin now fully integrated into the pro squad sweated on the floor, with hope Dorian Okemba. There was another new face on the side of the playground, that of the new general manager of l’Élan: Audrey Sauret. She introduced herself to the players, accompanied by president Sébastien Ménard, and coach Eric Bartecheky.
“I knew it would be her”
For Sébastien Ménard, when it came to finding someone to take over from Taqwa Pinero, still linked to the club but who had become undesirable in this position, there was no hesitation: “From the start, when I understood that the responsibility was going to be entrusted to me, I knew that Audrey Sauret would be my general manager. I didn’t receive anyone, I knew it would be her and I had only one objective, to convince her“.
Audrey Sauret, 45 years old, former great player of the France team (202 selections), champion and vice-champion of Europe, who also has eight titles of champion of France and two victories in the Euroleague. After her playing career, she graduated to become a managera position she held in Charleville-Mézières, her hometown, between 2015 and 2018, then in Nantes, two ProB clubs.