Alexandre Bozio / Credits JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK / AFP
Jean-Michel Aulas and Olympique Lyonnais, it’s really over. Formerly President of OL (1987 to 2023) and Chairman and CEO of OL Groupe (1999 to 2023), the man who is still an administrator within the institution today, has decided to completely withdraw from his role. historic club. According to information from Europe 1, he now intends to concentrate, on a Lyon scale, on his company Holnest by becoming a candidate for the purchase of the LDLC Arena, an indoor sports hall soon to be put up for sale by the new president of the city. ‘OL, John Textor.
“One of the most beautiful rooms in Europe”
In the show The studio of legends by Jacques Vendroux, to be found in full this Saturday at 8 p.m. on Europe 1, Jean-Michel Aulas confided that he was going to “resign from the position of administrator”. While his son should initially succeed him, the French businessman, tipped to become the next vice-president of the French Football Federation, wants to “take an interest in the life of the Lyonnais. You know that John has announced that he wanted to sell the Arena which is an absolutely incredible monument,” he explained.
“Not only is it one of the most beautiful halls in Europe in terms of concerts, basketball and events, but it is also an incredible achievement that we have made on the environmental level with the president of the Urban Community. We therefore decided to apply for the acquisition of this room” via its Holnest group.
Even if several aspirants should position themselves on the project, this announcement demonstrates Jean-Michel Aulas’ desire to continue to invest in the Lyon universe. Note that this room hosts some of the matches played by ASVEL, today chaired by Tony Parker, known to be close to the former OL boss.
Textor – Aulas, a checkered relationship
On May 8, a press release from OL informed of the departure of Jean-Michel Aulas from his duties as club president. It was the end of 36 years of reign which allowed the Lyon institution to transform and become one of the biggest French clubs. The new American owner John Textor, who got his hands on the club in December 2022 for nearly 800 million euros, was to keep Jean-Michel Aulas for three years, but differences over daily management ended up accelerating the program and pushed the two men to end their collaboration.
The months that followed were tense between the two protagonists. In August 2022, their disagreements pushed Aulas to rightly ask the Lyon commercial court to freeze 14.5 million euros on OL’s accounts. An action which disrupted the transfer window of the club which today finds itself in a more than critical sporting situation (red lantern, 10 points).
This Sunday, John Textor and Jean-Michel Aulas appeared together in the stands of Groupama Stadium for the reception of Toulouse (1st home victory of the season). An image of unity which was followed, the next day, by the announcement of an agreement between the two parties. This deal provides for the repurchase of the third of the shares still held in the club by the former president of OL, while Aulas and Holnest have undertaken “to reciprocally withdraw from the various procedures and actions in progress between the parties”.