Tired, Jean-Michel Vidal, the president of the ASBH, announces: “I want to leave quickly and whatever happens, I will not finish the upcoming season”

Jean-Michel Vidal announces that he will spend his last season at the head of the club. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

At the La Rabine stadium in Vannes, Béziers supporters lit smoke bombs. Midi Libre – Bérenger Tournier

Particularly angry against a minority of supporters and the heavy financial sanctions (40,000 euros) inflicted by the League on his club, the president of the ASBH looks back on the matches against Brive and in Vannes. Tired, he also announces that he wants to stop.

Your club was financially sanctioned by the League because of the excesses of your supporters during your last two matches. How did you receive these sanctions&nbsp ;?

We were very happy with the mass return of supporters, but I did not expect that this return would bring back a few unconscious idiots. We are also going to file a complaint against them. We are in the process of identifying them. They committed unacceptable acts. In Vannes we saw masked people brandishing smoke bombs like we sometimes see in other sports. This has no place in a rugby stadium. It’s impossible. These people are going against the club.

The alleged facts primarily concern the match against Brive at home…

Facing Brive, it was only because of the smoke bombs that were lit that we were sanctioned. The invasion of the ground was not taken into account because it was This was done after the referee came out and it was good natured. Knowing that it went very well with the Brive supporters who are really great. In short, it costs us 20,000 euros; for smoke bombs… You should know that the League imposes a certain number of agents on us to ensure security and that we were more than up to standard. The League is intransigent, it is right. Except that 20,000 euros, I find that out of the ordinary. I would also like to thank some "real" supporters who have just announced that they are going to contribute to help us pay our fines.

Knowing that in Vannes, damage was also committed by supporters!

Around thirty seats were torn away from the stands. I think it was more people jumping on them and breaking them rather than intentional ripping out. But hey, it’s something to take into account.

"They are not the prettiest Bretons and we the bad little ducks"

Your club was also sanctioned for invading the pitch, no ?

Everyone wanted to see Vannes in the Top 14, it’s done. But be careful, it's not the Bretons, the most beautiful, the strongest and us the bad little ducks! When I was told that there was an invasion of the pitch by Béziers supporters that no one was able to hold back, I jumped. There were 10,000 people from Vannes on the lawn and 500 people from Béziers on the field! And it is we who are accused of invasion? We also have the images which prove it. I will pass on the number of Béziers supporters who complained about having beer poured on their heads during the match in the honorary stand. Vannes received a suspended fine of 5,000 euros and we received 20,000 euros. I wonder. In any case, we cannot consider that if there are smoke bombs in Béziers, it’s our fault, and that’ outside, it is also only our fault! If people enter our stadium with smoke bombs, it is indeed unacceptable. And in Vannes, it’s just as unacceptable. That there are double standards is tiring me out.

We feel disappointed…

In any case, I announce that I wish to leave quickly and whatever happens, I will not finish the upcoming season.

For what reasons?

With Bruno Boivin, the club's financial boss, we suffer from immense weariness.

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