The Béarn club, in the grip of great financial difficulties, will undoubtedly play in the third division next season.
The blow is harsh. Implacable. The demotion to National 1 (3rd division) of Pau-Orthez, winner of the Coupe de France and semi-finalist of the 2022 French Basketball Championship, which took place for financial reasons, has been confirmed, announced Monday evening the financial policeman of the National Basketball League. “The National Directorate of Professional Club Management Advice and Control (DNCCGCP) of the National Basketball League met on July 11, 2022 as part of the gracious appeal requested by the club Elan Béarnais Pau Lacq Orthez” and “a decided to confirm its decision to refuse the commitment of the club Elan Béarnais Pau Lacq Orthez in the French Championship of Betclic ELITE and PRO B for the 2022-2023 season “said the League in a press release.
Another possibility to appeal
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Pau-Orthez still has a possibility of appeal to the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) within ten working days, it is added. The administrative demotion of the Pau club was announced on June 23 by the League, which mentioned in particular “the absence of guarantee as to the continuity of operation of the club” to explain its decision. She also believes that there is a “serious risk as to the realization of the 2022/2023 budget”.
Heard for the first time by the supervisory body on June 14, the Elan had presented itself with a deficit of around 3 million euros, for a budget set at 7.8 million at the start of the season. The DNCCG had then claimed a million euros in guarantee, the possibility being open to repay the remaining two million, via a bank loan. Pau-Orthez, which went under the American banner a year ago, won its first Coupe de France in 15 years on April 23, beating Strasbourg 95 to 86.
The nine-time French champion has already suffered two demotions in its recent history, in 2009 and 2012, but these were purely for sporting reasons. They had both been followed by immediate lifts.