Just one month before the start of the Beijing Olympics, the goalkeeper of the French team took a break from her preparation to make official her move to the Azurian club ASPTT. Valérie Nicolas has signed a three-year contract with the club playing in National 2, far from the heights she experienced with Besançon or the Danish club Viborg HB: “It’s true. I’m coming from the most competitive league in the world, but at 33, you have to start thinking about your career transition, and the project proposed by Nice is a bit crazy. However, it is very interesting sport-wise and very enriching for me…”
Welcomed very warmly, Valérie Nicolas engaged wholeheartedly in the Q&A session with journalists, where she excels. Before immortalizing the signing of her license and the souvenir photo with the new ASPTT Nice handball jersey, where she keeps her famous number 28.
Christian Estrosi, himself a former high-level athlete, said: “We are honored to welcome such a great champion. It is a source of pride for the people of Nice. I would like to thank Gilles Veissière for his more than active role in Valérie’s arrival; it is an important act for our city. I hope this arrival will lead to others so that sports in Nice are at the highest national level…”
The French player, twice voted the best goalkeeper in the world, was somewhat surprised by this reception, far from what she had experienced, even upon her arrivals in handball fanatical cities.
Later that evening, the local Handball celebration continued in a famous restaurant located on the Saint Antoine de Ginestière road, attended by Daniel Costantini, former coach of the French Handball team. It was an opportunity to present the new jerseys of the men’s Cavigal team and the women’s ASPTT team, as well as the arrival of a new sponsor.
This video is from the Web TV Nice 
