We were enemies, good enemies, but now Toulouse plays in Ligue 1, and the Girondins de Bordeaux in National 2. However, Olivier Sadranthe President of TFC, who took over the club in 2001 while he was in National, also sold it in 2020 to Americans, those of RedBird Capital Partners.
But as he explained to La Vie Economique du Sud Ouest (and Les Violets), Olivier Sadran kept shares in the club, up to 15%, even if he is not active in decision-making. However, there was a reason for him to keep a foot in Téf.
“I spent almost 20 years in the world of football, at TFC, with some exceptional years, others more difficult and I learned a lot through this experience that I started very young. But I'm not quite gone. I am still a 15% shareholder of the club, a presence that I wanted to keep, because it is my city. I get along very well with president Damien Comolli and Newrest remains a major sponsor, but I have no participation in the management of the club. Don’t worry, I’m still equipped with sporting adrenaline. I'm getting ready to climb a 7,000 meter with my son and I'm closely following my two daughters who are horse riding. It is an exciting and complex sport. One is second in the world among the under-25s and often their competitions fall at the same time as the TFC matches. So, I go to the Stadium less, but I don't miss a match on TV […] If I kept shares, it is to avoid a fate like Bordeaux, today in National 2 because of poor management.”