Biarritz Olympique has submitted its list of professional contracts to the National Rugby League. All clubs had until June 30 to validate their squad for the next season (1). The BO’s list includes the names of Jonathan Joseph, Johnny Dyer, Zack Kibirige, Charlie Matthews, Luteru Tolai and Tyler Morgan. What could be more logical: they are under contract until 2025. The problem is their remuneration. Or rather, the circuit of part of their remuneration.
To succeed in recruiting them without weighing down his payroll, ex-president Jean-Baptiste Aldigé, leaving for Nice (Pro D2), used the subterfuge of image rights, as revealed by “Sud Ouest”. We will come back to this in detail later. These sums of money paid abroad, with a total value of 182,000 euros net, were to be reinstated (and loaded) into the club’s accounts, as indicated in the deed of transfer initialed by the new and The former owner, Shaun Hegarty and Louis-Vincent Gave, on the night of April 4 to 5. “The buyer is committed to legally processing all elements of remuneration, image rights, bonuses and compensation,” we can read on page 7 of the document that we were able to consult.
They want to stay, they can leave
The rugby regulatory authority (A2R) took this risk into account and asked the club to budget for it. Biarritz town hall placed 500,000 euros in the famous trust in order to remedy the problem. However, the new sports management leaves the door open for the players concerned to leave in order to reduce a payroll which it wishes to keep below three million euros. The idea is also not to seek the guarantees provided by Pierre-Edouard Stérin (2 million euros) to maintain a certain freedom from the businessman. “Sports management does not want to part with anyone,” Arnaud Dubois, new president of the board of directors, indicated in our columns. But if some people think they can earn more money elsewhere, let them tell us. From the moment a player does not want to play for Biarritz Olympique, we are not going to force him. »
“Leaders cannot act like coy virgins. They were aware of these image rights”
A priori, the three Englishmen (Joseph, Kibirige, Matthews), the Fijian (Dyer), the Samoan (Latu) and the Welshman (Morgan) will not make the same choice as Billy Searle. The British fly-half broke his contract to join SU Agen. In the process, he sat on 40,000 euros in image rights. His now ex-teammates all want to continue the adventure… with the full remuneration defined in the initial contract. “They will stay,” assures one of their agents. Another is more categorical: “Leaders cannot act like coy virgins. They were aware of these image rights. It’s one thing that they don’t want to pay them. We are the children in the room watching the parents argue. » The representative plans to turn to Gavekal… which risks referring to Biarritz Olympique. Arnaud Dubois, who did not wish to speak on the subject, always indicated that he would not pay. Will the former lawyer find a loophole in the legal arrangement?
Between 10,000 and 60,000 euros
Hurry up. In return for a fixed salary lower than their real market value, the six Biarrots receive a sum, net of taxes, at the start of each season. Until now, it was paid by Gavekal Limited, the company of the former owner of the club Louis-Vincent Gave. During the period of their contract, the trust based in Hong Kong can use the image of the persons concerned on promotional materials, via photos, videos, etc.
This July 1, Jonathan Joseph must receive 60,000 euros for the coming season. His compatriots Zack Kibirige and Charlie Matthews are expecting 50,000 and 20,000 euros respectively on August 1st. On this date, Johnny Dyer (20,000 euros), Luteru Tolai (20,000 euros) and Tyler Morgan (10,000 euros) are also counting on their additional income. Note that in the event of promotion to the Top 14 at the end of the next financial year, Gavekal Limited had planned a small bonus for them: 40,000 euros for Joseph, 25,000 euros for Dyer, 20,000 euros for Tolai and 10,000 euros for Kibirige and Matthews. This is not really the objective of the BO and it seems improbable, but after all, saving yourself on the last day by counting on the results of others was just as much last May.
(1) On June 30, clubs must submit the list of their 35 professional contracts. Players trained at the club, the unemployed (the first year), hopeful contracts and two additional players as well as two jokers are excluded from this count.
On the Aguilera side
Youssouf Soucouna. Will the 19-year-old second row one day play in the Biarritz Olympique first team? Nothing is less sure. The solid player (2.02 m, 109 kg), under hopeful contract, has just received a serious offer from Montpellier (Top 14). Will the Biarritz leaders let him go?
Nikoloz Narmania. The Georgian right pillar from Carcassonne (National), 19 years old, joins the ranks of the BO until 2026. He has the advantage of being a jiff (player from French training channels).
