Partial unemployment with no remaining charges, exemptions from charges, loans guaranteed by the State extended and extended for the sports world … The delegated ministry in charge of sports ensures that it has deployed an arsenal of measures to help clubs damaged by the economic consequences of the health crisis.
To this is added a specific fund of 107 million euros to compensate for the loss of ticketing revenue since the introduction at the end of August of spectator gauges in sports arenas.
“We are not sectoring by sport, the idea is to support as a priority the structures most affected by ticketing and which have few other resources”, argues the cabinet of the Deputy Minister, Roxana Maracineanu.
This compensation fund is the subject of tough negotiations with the European Union for questions of distortion of competition. The ministry hopes to reach an agreement within days.
“The necessary means”
And if a club or a league decides to quit when they can continue their championships, will they be entitled to help? As for the clubs, the concern is palpable. “We were told that if we decided to suspend our activity, we would not be eligible for anything, neither partial unemployment, nor exemption from charges”, supports Alain Béral, the boss of the National Basketball League.
Department’s response: “If the clubs stop, we will see if they are eligible for partial unemployment. Today, we must first find all the means necessary for the sport to continue in correct conditions. “
Clubs, leagues and federations to present estimates of their lost turnover, adds the ministry. There will be no blank check.
“If they give us figures, we will study the issue. Our priority is to try to see how we can help these structures to continue. Those which are not administratively closed, with a payroll which is not unemployed, but which has at least 50% loss of turnover, are already eligible for an exemption from employer charges. Some do not know that this device exists for them. “
The ministry does not exclude” adapt “ its response to needs if necessary. “The Minister does not want a club to close”, wants to reassure the cabinet of Roxana Maracineanu.
