“I am used to saying what I think,” expresses Francis Batta who took over as president of the Foyen Rugby club last June. The elected representatives of the Community of Municipalities were able to realize this recently. On October 28, he published a press release in which he generally affirmed that the CdC was putting obstacles in his way in his desire to make improvements to the stadium site. Concretely, the installation of three containers: to offer the rugby school a place to store equipment and benefit from changing rooms. And on the other hand, a concrete slab had been made, “at our expense and thanks to the kindness of the mayor of Port-Sainte-Foy-et-Ponchapt, Mr. Reix to accommodate the reception structure of our club- house”.
Achievements which raised disapproval from the CdC of Pays Foyen, owner of the site. “While an authorization had been granted for the structure of the clubhouse, we are contesting the verbal authorization given by the leaders of the Community of Communes and, in front of witnesses, for these containers”, reacted Francis Batta deploring “a slow bureaucracy, fussy and jealous of its prerogatives”, and while the CdC requested a withdrawal of the containers within three months. Which led him to threaten to resign at the next general meeting.
“In the three days following the press release, a meeting was organized,” smiles Francis Batta. Which won its case for its structures, with the addition of the commitment to repair the parking lot and toilets as well as the installation of lighting so that the Foyen Stadium can play on Saturday evenings. “It’s a real desire, the players train three times a week, they must be able to spend Sunday with their family. Rugby must bring people together, not push them apart.” While the CdC, through its president Pierre Robert, strives to recall its strong support for Stade Foyen, “an emblematic association of the territory”. And to justify its reluctance due to the fact that the installations are located in a flood zone and that it must enforce rules to ensure public safety.
An average of 1,300 people at each Stade Foyen home match. A great performance in Regional 1.
Jean-Claude Faure
Relaunch the club
“Relations have returned to normal,” concedes Francis Batta for whom the epilogue still looks like a victory. It is true that the man has charisma and a CV as long as an arm which shows solid experience and which we do not tell him: founder of the Superbike world championship, boss of a team with which he won several world champion titles, boss of a communications and advertising company which notably worked for the Diesel brand. He was also responsible for the development of Corona beer on a global level…
“Within three days following the press release, a meeting was organized”
And if he finally agreed to take charge of the Foyen club, “without knowing anything about rugby”, it was for a new challenge, “but I didn’t think it would be so big. It’s not a club like any other with 430 members including 200 children at the rugby school,” he admits. With the desire to give new impetus to this club, “which had fallen asleep”. A new impetus which resulted in the start of a certain “professionalization”: “I, who came from the professional world, was surprised when I approached this amateur environment. Afterwards, I was lucky that the club had healthy finances.” New staff, new players, an offensive style, a revitalization of the partner club… “It’s a lot of work. »
A job that pays off since Sainte-Foy is at the top of its R1 championship and welcomes an average of 1,300 spectators. “The ambition, ultimately, is to reach Federal 2”.
