Toulouse. Rugby World Cup, “fantasy of the big stadium”: comments by Jean-Luc Moudenc
through Guillaume Laurence
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“2023 will give us the opportunity to come together for the Rugby World Cup”, Thursday 5 January 2023 Jean-Luc Moudencmayor Toulouse, while presenting their vows to the press. Although there are still doubts surrounding the work of bringing the stadium up to standard level, he assured that the fourth city of France will be ready in time for the event.
“We will be welcoming five group matches and supporters from around the world to the capital of oval ball.”
“Our stadium is up to standard” for Jean-Luc Moudenc
“Our stadium meets the standards,” said Jean-Luc Moudenc. Two developments remained to be carried out before stopping Stadium confirmation by the world rugby authorities, the mayor and president of the city of Toulouse “all the standards in force in the stadium are respected, but the France 2023 organization has created new standards”, which Toulouse’s infrastructure must comply with, he was careful to remind. to follow.
The end zone has just been brought up to standard
Jean-Luc Moudenc went into the details of the work done or to come. The first area of construction that sparked the debate: “Length of the goal zone”.
“As for the length of the underarm zone, it should be between 6 and 22 meters, we are at 6.5 meters, but we were asked to increase it to 10 meters. This has just been done.”
If we believe the mayor of Toulouse, the Stadium is in accordance with the current standards in this regard.
Sideline expansion…will wait until the end of the season
Another construction site awaits the stadium: to extend the sidelinethis will only be done in a few months, after the end of the Ligue 1 season. Jean-Luc Moudenc explained it again on Thursday.
“They are asking us to extend the touchline from 3.5 meters to 5 meters. We will do it, but not immediately because it will interfere with Tefécé. We have planned the work for June after the end of the season.
For Jean-Luc Mudenk, the debate is over and the Stadium will be up to standard: “There is no problem. We will be well in time to make these ad hoc adaptations that deviate from the rules that have been applied so far.
Haro about the “fantasy of the big stadium”.
In addition to bringing the existing infrastructure up to standard, Jean-Luc Moudenz then dwelt on the “fantasy of the big stadium” in Toulouse, an “old debate” that has resurfaced in recent days in Toulouse: “Big stadiums, there were some. Lyon recently for 480 million euros, Nice for 234 million , in Bordeaux for 180 million euros…
“A big stadium could be used a few days a year. However, I can’t see spending a lot of public money on equipment that will be used a few days a year… Our priority is people’s daily lives.”
If “such and such an investor” knocks on the door of the Capitol…
“I’m not against” the idea of a big stadium, the mayor of Toulouse said, ready to welcome his (very) hypothetical patron in the fourth city of France:
“As the mayor of Toulouse, I have always said that if there was ever an investor or a private project manager who wanted to build a big stadium, we would be there to facilitate his work… But no. someone is coming and knocking on my door!”
“This kind of equipment only works if there is an ecosystem around it,” insists Jean-Luc Moudenc, who knows that such a “sports sponsorship” that fell from the sky is only available to the (rich). “sports fan”.
“I can’t find a Toulouse resident who wants a bigger stadium than me”
In short, the day before Toulouse has a bigger stadium is not tomorrow. Jean-Luc Moudenc, for his part, emphasizes that the Stadium has participated in all major sporting events in recent years:
“If we decided to invest so much, what would it change? Not much. Admittedly, every time we’re selected, Wembley is the smallest of the stadiums, but we can regularly host international competitions. We proved that with Football World Cup. 1998 Cup in 2007, the Rugby World Cup in 2007, the Euro Football Championship in 2016: we are capable of hosting big events. Every time we get there!”
Jean-Luc Moudenc concludes with an ode to a municipal garden rich in something 33,000 seats, and since 1949 the hearts of athletes in the Pink City have trembled: “We may not have exceptional, very rare encounters, but I can’t find Toulouse people who ask me for a big stadium or a job of 40 million euros. stadium! “.
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