Mayhem in Béziers: a former FN candidate in the legislative elections seizes the ASBH brand

“ASBH” un nom qui n'appartient plus à l'association. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

En déposant la marque ASBH auprès de l’Inpi, profitant de l’expiration du précédent dépôt de l’association ASBH, cette citoyenne a touché à un symbole biterrois. Mais quelles sont les conséquences ?

It's a small affair which nevertheless causes quite a stir around the ASBH, the Béziers rugby club which is currently at the top of the Pro D2 ranking and is making a of its most beautiful seasons in a long time.

On November 29, a resident of Béziers, Constance Calandri, registered the brand "ASBH" with the Inpi (National Institute of Intellectual Property). In fact, she took advantage of the expiration of the previous deposit made by the ASBH association (which manages the rugby school and the entire amateur sector of the club), to get their hands on the figurative and verbal trademarks.

Candidate FN

Unhappy FN candidate in the 5th constituency of Hérault in the 2012 legislative elections, ex-receptionist at Béziers town hall which she attacked at the industrial tribunal ;men, but also ex-daughter-in-law of Gérard Tugas, co-president of the ASBH association, Constance Calandri then explained her approach in a Montpellier satirical newspaper, L'Aglorieuse. Son wish, she said, being to "protect" the brand…

What about the consequences of this operation ? What about the commercial exploitation of the brand ?

On the side of the association, the leaders recognize their error: "In 2011, Cédric Bistué, who was then president, registered the new club logo and name with Inpi. We were told it was for 20 years. In fact, there was confusion between a patent filing which is renewable every 20 years and a trademark filing which only lasts 10 years . The name ASBH was therefore free of rights and returned to the public domain since 2021. Until the end of November 2023…

No worries on the SASP side

The name ASBH belonging to the 1901 law association, the professional structure, the SASP Béziers Rugby which, beyond the pro team, also runs the training center, pays the association each year for the right to use it: "We are not worried, notes Jean-Michel Vidal, the chairman of the board of ASBH. I also think that things will quickly return to order. Knowing that for the name, we are of course dependent on the association."

"Negligence"

The leaders of the ASBH association, who acknowledge having "committed negligence", have already gone to the niche. They appealed to Master Gérald Ansenat to bring the matter to court and defend their interests.
A "trademark claim action for fraudulent filing" will thus be launched against Biterroise. Especially since the name ASBH is a notorious brand, used for ages: "We can't recover the name of a brand like that, we assure, moreover, with confidence, on the side of the association. There have been, in any case, around forty cases of the same type which set jurisprudence."

If we stick to the law, since the filing of the ASBH brand by Constance Calandri, no one theoretically has the right to use it anymore. use. The new owner could therefore turn against the association or the SASP, for example, which markets objects bearing the image of the Béziers club… A legal battle that would certainly be lost in advance.

Robert Ménard: “Family settlements”

"The brand belongs à the association", holds à clarify Mayor Robert Ménard. "The SCIC (collaborative society of international (collective reaction) < em > is the owner of shares in the professional club, which has nothing to do with it. see with the association." As a reminder, the City of Béziers has in fact boughté the club via this SCIC. "These are problems that go beyond sport and politics. It's about family settling of scores", believes the first magistrate, referring to the links between Constance Calandri and her ex-in-law ( his ex-father-in-law being G&rard Tugas, co-president of the Association). "They (she and Julien Gabarron, Editor's note) are causing havoc, while the club has an incredible ranking, which ç has had for so long that we didn't see that many people in the stadium. The training center is first in the ranking of Pro D2 clubs. If you have an interest in rugby, the club, the city, you applaud! this success." "If you like the club, you warn us when you discover that the deposit of the trademark has expired."

“Aqui es beziers.fr” submitted by Julien Gabarron (RN)

The Biterrois Julien Gabarron, new departmental head of the RN, defends himself from any link with Constance Calandri and affirms to dissociate himself from her approach. But I think it's crazy that the brand could be taken over like this without the club's control. It’s not normal that she hasn’ redeposed, no one is managing the file…"  At the same time, he has also committed himself& ;eacute; on a similar process. "I realized last week that part of the “Aqui es Béziers” éwas free." Among the fifty classes, one had not been included. renewed. So he put her down. "2 years ago, I also deposited" the domain names "aqui es beziers.fr", "aqui es beziers.com" and in Occitan. ÇI like it, çI’s interested. There is no will to harm the club,” he adds straight away. "The primary goal, 2 years ago, was to provide security to prevent anyone from going to trade on the back of this slogan" ;hellip; This is the step that every business leader must take to secure their brand. I would not have made any trade or controversy about it. And besides, if the club wants to use it, I will give it to them. What matters is Béziers and the club. " And to assume for all that and repeat the criticism: & quot;It’s crazy that a club like ASBH isn’ that."

Despite our requests, we have not been able to contact Constance Calandri.

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