It’s Jean-Christophe PICARD’s turn, the departmental spokesman for the Left Radical Party, to review the state of sports in Nice and offer his solutions to restore its former glory.
Nice Première: What is your analysis of the sports scene in Nice?
JCP: Jean-Christophe Picard: As you might expect, I am not satisfied with the municipality’s efforts…
Professionally, all the showcases of Niçois sports – which used to allow Nice to shine across France – are no longer active… Firstly, I think of football with OGC Nice, which barely survives in Ligue 1, but also rugby with RRC Nice, which fifteen years ago, competed with clubs from the South-West and featured players from the French national team (like Jeff Tordo).
I also regret the disappearance of the Nikaïa international athletics meeting, which enjoyed great success every summer. Today, Nice lacks any facility capable of hosting an international competition for any sport. In short, there is nothing to make people want to visit the sports venues, and attendance reflects this… For example, OGC Nice has one of the lowest average attendances per match (around 10,000 to 11,000) while a city like Rennes averages 20,000 spectators!
The situation of amateur sports is even worse… To the point that Charles Ehrmann and Jean-Claude Mari, the deputy for sports, argue over whether the city is fifteen or thirty years behind! That says a lot… Meanwhile, the daily reality for small clubs is quite sad:
a glaring lack of infrastructure (while the few existing ones are in deplorable condition), no recognition for the thousands of volunteers who mentor the youth, constant decrease in subsidies, etc.
NP: Do you have any ideas for improving the management of municipal sports?
JCP: First and foremost, it would be appropriate to significantly increase the budget allocated to sports, which implies finding the necessary financial flexibility and consequently managing the city differently (I remind you, in this context, that the Left Radicals and independent environmentalists are the only ones who propose, each year, an alternate budget).
The priority should be to build local facilities in all neighborhoods. It would also be wise to appoint key positions to competent individuals from the sports sector…
But most importantly, the method of work must change! The municipality needs to listen to the expectations and proposals of the different associations involved; the sports policy must be built with them and not just among a few elected officials and civil servants.
It would therefore be relevant to establish a sports advisory committee that would allow elected officials and association leaders to work effectively together… provided that its composition is not rigged like in the district councils!
NP: What name would you suggest for the new football stadium in the Var plain?
JCP: I think “Stade Giuseppe Garibaldi” would be a unifying and original choice.
NP: Your wishes for the new year of local sports?
JCP: My wish is for OGC Nice to win the League Cup to offer the supporters a European Cup adventure and once again provide them with strong emotions.
And may all clubs excel in their various categories!
And that the construction of the new stadium begins on time… without discovering new corruption cases!
Which clubs or athletes do you follow in Nice?
JCP: I follow the results of OGC Nice and those of Cavigal, which is the most successful example of an amateur club: it combines youth education, conviviality, and sports results!
NP: Do you personally practice a sport or sporting activity?
JCP: I attend a gym almost every day and go jogging each week by the Gairaut canal (I have registered for the Prom’Classic on January 8, 2006). I also regularly play tennis and cycle.
NP: Your best sports moment this year?
JCP: Let’s be honest: 2005 was not a great year… To the extent that maintaining OGC Nice in Ligue 1 appears as good news!
