In our latest article we mentioned the ‘superior interest of Nice rugby.’ But evidently, this is not the priority of the former and new leaders, between whom the tension remains high.
A new letter from Mr. Philippe Deffins (the new president) to Midi Olympique dated December 12 triggered a sharp retort from Christian Baldacchino (the former President) and the sending of an open letter from him “to the friends of Nice rugby.”
We publish this letter in its entirety to allow our readers interested in this oval saga to better fix its scope and understand its reasons.
Regarding the problem of problems, namely ‘nervus rerum’, i.e., money:
a) It should not be very difficult to establish, through an audit commissioned to an independent expert, whether the balance sheet on June 30, 2011, was false or correct as both parties claim, each accusing the other of lying, Mr. Deffins and Mr. Baldacchino.
b) Mr. Deffins’ legitimacy would be established if he would “finally” follow through on his financial commitments, clearly present in his project presented to the club’s Board members on September 12.
He must have known that his status as a private funder (his own and that of other investors) was not without importance and significance. Otherwise (besides his love of rugby) for what reason would he be the President of Rugby Nice Côte d’Azur today?
Because, even if one considers the hypothesis that Christian Baldacchino’s presidency was reaching its end, the passion, devotion, and competence of some past glories aspiring to engage in a future success would have been more than enough.
There was certainly no need for someone to come from Montpellier to manage the club with the subsidy from the Nice City Hall!
And speaking of the Nice City Hall, what does it say about this very unsporting spectacle?
Open letter to all friends of Nice rugby: MY TRUTH
Enough, stop, enough, too many lies, too many slanders, too much hate!
I resigned three months ago; during this period, I did not want to intervene – not even to respond to the insulting remarks directed at the “old team” – to avoid creating controversy and hindering the “new team.” The accusation of maintaining a toxic atmosphere – while friends of the old team are attacked daily – is a first lie.
Lie when it is said that I hid the club’s financial reality. On one hand, and as surprising as it may seem, Mr. DEFFINS never questioned me on this subject. On the other hand, the “new team” was as informed as I was (since many of its members were part of the old Board of Directors):
The treasurer informed the Board of Directors as early as March that there might be a shortage of €100,000 by June 30, 2011, which actually represents roughly the liquidity deficit on that date.
In the bailiff’s report of the General Assembly on June 17, 2011, the treasurer stated, “The Société Générale account currently shows a credit balance of €42,000 … He also notes that salaries, social contributions, and other supplier expenses of the Association are currently paid at approximately 80%.”
The balance sheet as of June 30, 2011, was only released in early December (two months after my departure).
The new members of the club should know that I did not flee, in the middle of the night, taking the club’s funds with me; the new team wanted power and did everything to get it.
Lie also, when it is insinuated that the club’s accounts were manipulated. By whom? For years, these accounts have been audited by an accountant, then by a statutory auditor, then by the DNACG, then by the City Hall which recently mandated an audit of the accounts for the past season. I must be very skilled, or all these accounting professionals are either incompetent or complicit.
Lie again, when the liabilities are inflated by a provision for a debt that is not confirmed to date. A lie that turns into manipulation when the context of the SASP* bankruptcy is omitted (leaving us with a debt of €215,000).
Or when it is forgotten to mention that we had estimated (in December 2010 for the exceptional subsidy request) the club’s needs at €1,300,000, and we obtained €1,100,000 (which is obviously already enormous, once again I repeat: thanks to the City Council).
When it is hidden that this money was allocated to get us to June 2011, and not beyond. When the conclusions of the City Hall audit are deliberately ignored, explaining that we are not responsible for the budgets committed by the SASP, and especially that public money was used appropriately.
And of course, it is much more comfortable to omit mentioning the money I personally invested in the club, and that I never reimbursed, even though in March there was money to do so.
Lie once again, when it is said that the club was in great disarray. Everyone was at their post; the leaders, the educators (all trained) the volunteers. Reading or hearing some comments, there would have been a miracle on the night of September 14 to 15, and with a wave of the magician’s wand, a shabby and disorganized little club would have become the majestic club we know.
Well, no, a thousand times no! There is no more magician than there is a magic wand, but simply the will and work of the “old team”:
The rugby school, numerous and high quality, the Vicat Baie des Anges tournament, THAT’S US;
The youth teams in the elite national championship (cadets, junior crabos, reichel) and the numerous selected players, THAT’S US;
The women’s team, twice champion of France with its internationals, THAT’S US;
The leisure teams and their international tournament, THAT’S US;
The eastern rugby school, THAT’S US;
The cadets, THAT’S US;
The training center, with the funding found, THAT’S US;
but also, the first team’s rise from the division of honor to federal 1 (+ 3 levels of competition), yes, THAT’S STILL US. Admit that for zeros, it’s not so bad.
Lie always, when you claim to want the union of Nice rugby and your first concern is to dismiss the majority of the old team members, at all levels.
Lie again, when you say you want to strengthen the Association while you still have not created the SASP, as you committed to, which is the only safeguard against uncontrolled excesses in semi-professional rugby. It is true that the SASP could not utilize the resources of the Association.
Lie again and again when the “new team” confirms on September 12, 2011, that it will immediately invest in the club, under THE SOLE CONDITION OF MY RESIGNATION AND THAT OF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS. With additional astonishing specifics: €500,000 from Mr. P. DEFFINS, plus €600,000 from a group of British investors mandating a certain Mr. A. Knox, present at this meeting and confirming these promises, plus a commitment of €1,000,000 obtained from the City Hall.
Lie when a banking guarantee of funds’ commitment is promised, which of course was never provided.
Lie when Mr. J.F. TORDO announces in the press that an account credited with €500,000 was opened for this purpose
Lie when these promises are relayed within the club, to the players, and in the media, always with the same sine qua non condition.
Lie always when it is sworn, hand on heart, that the principal associate of the defunct SASP is not among the mysterious British investors – which, frankly, would be disorderly.
Lie also, vis-à-vis the City Hall, to whom you must have assured that you had private funds, and of whom you assured that it had guaranteed you €1,000,000 in subsidies. You are today making a request of €1,150,000 while we desired €650,000
Grotesque lie when saying we left a negative treasury of €600,000 or €700,000. THE TREASURY HOLE TO DATE (you see, I do not confuse or manipulate words by talking about loss) is mainly generated by the fact that YOU HAVE NOT YET PAID THE MONEY YOU PROMISED.
We are patching day by day, trying to find funds that did not exist in early August (at least, without any certainty); fortunately, the club is solid, well-structured, and the acknowledged and payable debt as of June 30, 2011, is far from the amounts you announce, because you “live off the club” at this time (membership fees, some minor sponsors, subsidies obtained by the old team and perhaps used for other purposes…)
Let’s do some basic calculations regarding cash needs.
You announced an annual expenditure budget of around €2,000,000, or €167,000 monthly (ours was €1,650,000 but it is true that you signed – without the funding – about ten additional contracts, quite expensive it seems).
On November 30, five months after the start of the season, the needs were therefore €167,000 x 5 = €835,000. To be precise, let’s remove the direct revenues of the Association (membership fees, various subsidies, …), approximately €250,000, bringing this estimation of cash needs for the end of November to €585,000
In other words, to be very clear, IF YOU HAD PROVIDED HALF OF WHAT YOU PROMISED, there would be no problem or controversy today!
In conclusion: your project was wonderful, but you unfortunately forgot one essential thing: your plan was viable only on the condition of the SIMPLE AND ENTIRE EXECUTION OF YOUR PROMISES.
If you do not do it, you will only be amateur bluffers, except you’re not playing with your money but with the desire for rugby and the passion of the young and not so young.
If you do it, and believe me, I will publicly apologize, and I will donate to the club the amounts owed to me.
Christian BALDACCHINO
