Despite the City’s red card, Olympique Genève (OG) intends to stay on the field. The amateur football club has announced an appeal against the recent decision of the Department of Security and Sports (DSSP) to withdraw its authorization to use the municipal facilities of Varembé, from this month of December. At issue: OG’s dubious accounting.
On Radio Lac on Tuesday, the lawyer for the subsidized club, Romain Jordan, denounced an abrupt measure and an alleged lack of transparency in the authorities’ decision-making. According to him, the City is “breaking the momentum of reorganization” of Olympic Geneva, “which was progressing very well”. While sanitation measures are reportedly underway, the lawyer calls for a concerted solution, in particular for the good of the club’s 300 juniors. The Administrative Chamber of the Court of Justice could render its decision by the end of the week.
“This appeal changes nothing in form or substance,” says Cédric Waelti, spokesperson for the DSSP. In form, to date, and unless the courts advise otherwise, the decision is enforceable.” The City emphasizes that it must ensure the proper use of its public subsidies, in cash or in kind: “This is a legal obligation.”
While since 2017, “the club has been experiencing significant difficulties”, the Municipality emphasizes that in 2021, it has already paid an extraordinary subsidy of 50,000 francs “to save the junior movement”. She then “waited for a long time for an improvement in the governance and financial management of this club”. But today, “based on recent controls, it is clear that there has been no positive development.”
