Paris Volley, led by former Bulgaria coach Silvano Prandi, narrowly avoided bankruptcy on the eve of the new French championship season. The capital club managed to secure emergency funding, which will allow it to start its participation in the championship, despite accumulated debts of nearly one million euros.
The news was announced on October 16 by the French publicationLe Parisien, which cited an official club statement. It confirmed that the necessary funds have been secured to cover operational costs at the start of the season. The management continues to work on transferring ownership to new shareholders, with expectations that the deal will be finalized by October 30.
Just a day earlier, the future of Paris Volley seemed extremely uncertain. According toLe Parisien, October 15 was set as the deadline for finding an investor. If unsuccessful, the club was prepared to release its players from their contracts and proceed with bankruptcy proceedings.
Director Camille Rachidi and club association president Christian Kupfer warned that without a new owner, Paris Volley would not even play its first league match.
Additional details are revealed bySport365, according to which the emergency financial injection came from an investor whose name has not yet been disclosed. The club will also rely on a subsidy from the Paris municipality totaling 700,000 euros, distributed in four payments of 175,000 euros.
However, this does not mean a final resolution of the financial problems. In November, Paris Volley must appear before the National Directorate for Aid and Financial Control (DNACG) of the French Volleyball League, which will review the club's condition.
Interestingly, among the current shareholders of Paris Volley are former French international Stéphane Antiga and two-time Olympic champion Antoine Brizard. Both are part of the group that helped save the club during the previous severe financial crisis in 2018. According toLe Parisien, the ability of the current shareholders to cover financial deficits annually has been exhausted.
Stéphane Antiga, who currently coaches Polish Bogdanka LUK (Lublin), where Bulgarian international Alex Grozdanov plays, remains connected to the future of the Parisian club.
For Silvano Prandi, the development of the situation means he will be able to officially start his new challenge in France. The Italian specialist took over Paris Volley in the summer, after the team finished the previous season with a triumph in the French Cup and participation in the championship semifinals.
The Parisians' first match is on Saturday, October 17, when they host Saint-Nazaire at the Pierre Charpy hall at 8:00 PM Bulgarian time.
Paris Volley also has ambitions on the European stage. In early December, Prandi's team is scheduled to begin its participation in the CEV Cup tournament against Polish SKRA (Bełchatów).
Thus, one of the most decorated French volleyball clubs was given the opportunity to continue its existence, but its final financial stabilization is yet to come. The next key date is October 30, when the change of ownership should be completed.