He had been criticized for talking too much at one time, he admitted it, and now, this season, it was his silence that was often regretted. François Rivière had announced his speech for this Tuesday, November 8 and beyond announcements that were expected
regarding infrastructure, he wanted to come back to a lot of criticism that has been addressed to him for several weeks.
From the start of the press conference, the man who has been president of the Catalan club for more than 9 years wanted to an update on his personal commitment to USAP : “Sometimes I’m tired of being criticized. I will re-explain the consistency of what happened. I invested exactly 18 million in the club, it’s a lot and I don’t have the fortune of a billionaire either. Some people should be respectful of this will that was mine because I consider that life has brought me a lot and it is a way for me to continue to have a return.
USAP also kind of saved my life
It’s not with ulterior motives whether I’m going to go back to politics in 10 years or whether I’m going to open a pedal boat shop on the Basse in three years. It’s just that I fell in love with USAP. USAP also saved my life a bit after my terrible accident in 2016 and personal life changes. At USAP, I found friends, a family and everyone supported me. So I always want to get high.“
Financially, the president of USAP wanted to provide details of his commitment since taking power : “Of the money that was paid, 50% was used to pay the debts of the past and the rest to finance the two returns to the Top 14. The debts of the past, for the first time I bought a company without doing an audit and without asking for guarantees from previous shareholders. I may have been gullible. I decided and I assume it to have closed my face.
I point out that the files of the past are in the process of ending but that we lost again yesterday one of the last files of the previous administration, in the court of appeal: the USAP is condemned to pay on image rights (Editor’s note: James Hook file) which had been guaranteed by my predecessors a sum of 3 to 400,000 euros which, as usual, will be paid from my pocket and not from the club’s finances.
There’s enough in this club trying to divide and conquer
You should know that between the various URSSAF checks, between the various disputes of former coaches and players, the problems of unfunded paid leave, the various contracts wrongly entered into, there were around two and a half million debts on the club. You add to that the 2.5 million debts on the USAP brewery that I continue to pay by closing my mouth otherwise there would be no more club. There are also the shops where there were 1.5 million debts. When I arrived, the club was in default, if I had said so, there was no more club! “
On the other hand, the president of the USAP is often criticized for remaining alone at the helmnot to share power and not to open up capital, again, François Rivière made an update : “If tomorrow morning, today, yesterday, tonight, people want to support us financially on the USAP project, it’s absolutely ridiculous to say that I would be against welcoming them, it makes no sense. USAP project is enough for me to welcome those who want to fund it.
If we have to waste time posturing, no. I am freed to see that the niches seem to me quite well connected between the communities on what the USAP wants to do. But, if tomorrow morning, partners who want to help me with the investment, contrary to what some may say, they are welcome. There are enough people in this club trying to divide and conquer.”
Response to criticism, announcement of work at the stadium, construction of a training center, these were the main axes of this press conference but the fight will continue, the debates will remain inflamed because the USAP is the USAP, that it lives and that it makes speak.