“Clubs feel in danger”, “We want to stop the bleeding”, a new board of directors arrives at the head of the National League

Comme sur le parquet, Montpelliérains et Narbonnais s'opposent dans les instances. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

Jean Azéma and his team have been elected to head the National Volleyball League. The result of a revolt against former president Yves Bouget led by several clubs including Béziers and Narbonne.

For several months, a wind of revolt has been blowing through professional volleyball in France. The work of the National Volleyball League chaired by Yves Bouget, in place since 2020, is widely questioned by certain professional clubs such as those of Narbonne and Béziers. At the end of June, the steering committee was revoked, which triggered an electoral meeting this Thursday, September 26.

At the end of the election, the list led by Jean Azéma, president of the Toulouse Spacers from 2008 to 2022, was elected with more than 60%: “There is a desire for change because the clubs feel in danger,” explains Bastien Anglade, president of the Centurions of Narbonne and new member of the League's steering committee. There are bankruptcies in cascades every season. We want to stop the bleeding. The LNV wanted to initiate changes that were far too abrupt without support and without communication with the clubs. We ourselves, in Narbonne, almost died in 2022 and 2023. We see that others have fallen, we could not continue like this."

"Mr. Bouget has shown a lack of respect for the clubs"

Member of the steering committee of the League under Yves Bouget, the president of Montpellier in the men's League A Jean-Charles Caylar could only accept the result of the vote: “It's democracy. I hope that Jean Azéma and his team will do a good job for French volleyball. On the other hand, I find that no one highlights the work of Yves Bouget during the last four years at the head of the National League. He is a great leader with whom I share the vision about the professionalization of French volleyball. I would like to thank him for his work. I believe that more has been done in four years at the LNV than in the last 30 years.”

Bernard Fages, president of the Béziers Angels in the Women's League A, does not share the opinion of his Montpellier counterpart about the now ex-president of the LNV: “The fact that this list of which we are part has arrived at the head of the League is a good thing. For years, Mr. Bouget has been disrespectful to the clubs, he has done things too quickly without taking into account the opinion of the clubs. He is a character who makes decisions on his own, who imposes. You have to know that the clubs keep the LNV alive and not the other way around.”

“We pay for everything and we collect nothing”

For the Béziers manager, French volleyball is in danger, especially on the women's side: “We have to go and get money, develop relations with local authorities. We pay for everything and we get nothing. The League only asks for money, imposes sanctions. We have been talking for several months with the new list of which Jean-Luc Marchal of the Béziers Angels is a part, the line of conduct is clear. There will be more respect towards the clubs, a more serene atmosphere. We will ensure that we move towards professionalization while taking into account that not everyone advances at the same speed. We heard from Mr. Bouget's team that we were not competent enough. I don't need to take a lesson from this gentleman. Nobody has anything to worry about, we know enough about volleyball and the professional world to know how to manage."

For its part, the union of French professional players is waiting "to find out if the promises to involve us more in sports decisions will be kept by the new board of directors", hopes Jean-Philippe Sol, vice-president of Prosmash.

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