In August 2021, Rugby Club Toulonnais surprised everyone by snatching South African international winger or fullback Cheslin Kolbe from Stade-Toulousain while he still had two years of contract remaining.
So that this transfer can take place, the leaders of Toulouse and Toulon have carried out an assembly.
But twists and turns took place during the progress of the negotiations and transformed this transfer into an incredible financial package.
To clarify this transaction, the Salary Cap Manager put his nose into setting up this transfer. Finally, everything was clarified: neither Toulouse nor Toulon exceeded the Salary Cap by participating in this transfer.
However, the RCT was fined 70,000 euros for “breach of the general obligation of transparency and cooperation”. For its part, Toulouse simply received a suspended sentence of 50,000 euros, for the same reason.
After reflection, the two clubs decided not to appeal. Toulouse therefore keeps its reprieve while the Rugby Club Toulonnais will have to write a check for 70,000 euros to pay its fine.
According to the newspaper The teamthe two clubs had recently prepared for a financial sanction of a completely different magnitude.
Reminder of the facts: in 2021, Cheslin Kolbe is at the top level when he suddenly decides to renegotiate his contract with the Ville Rose club. It was following the European Cup / Top 14 double won by Toulouse that Cheslin Kolbe decided to demand a significant increase in his salary.
Problem: the Toulouse leaders refuse to accept the Springbok’s salary demands, which causes cold weather between the player and his management.
Tired of waiting, Cheslin Kolbe decided to submit his CV to other clubs in the Top 14. It is therefore in no way Toulouse which decides to part ways with the player, but rather the South African international who performs research to receive the salary he thinks he deserves.
Once the deal is closed, President Didier Lacroix, annoyed to read and hear that the money from this transfer (€2 million) comes at just the right time to fill a hole in the Stade’s treasury, will repeat several times at the press that this departure is a wish of the player. Extract:
“We didn’t have to sign to let him go but we did. »
In today’s edition, the newspaper L’team informs us that a strange incident occurred during the transfer of Cheslin Kolbe to Toulon.
On August 26, 2021, Cheslin Kolbe and Stade-Toulousain signed an outright, amicable termination agreement. The player gave his agreement to Toulon, also on the 26th, and the two clubs agreed on a transaction worth 2 million euros.
But the same evening, one of the representatives of Cheslin Kolbe, Master Knight, who was in South Africa at the time of the events, mentioned moral damage for his player.
It is via a letter of protest that Maître Chevalier argues that the agreement which has just been initialed removes the possibility of Kolbe signing a permanent contract with Toulouse, even though he has already signed with Toulon.
According to Master Knight, this is a “loss of luck” for Cheslin Kolbe. The lawyer then asked Stade-Toulousain to pay the player the sum of one million euros.
And surprisingly: on August 27, Stade-Toulousain decided to pay the sum of 640,000 euros to Cheslin Kolbe following this “loss of luck”.
Questioned on this subject, the president of Stade-Toulousain, Didier Lacroix explained why he agreed to pay this sum to Cheslin Kolbe without complaint. Extract:
“Either he stayed while playing backwards, or he left with a labor risk for Stade Toulousain. Our lawyers had alerted us to this risk. He was therefore paid neither more nor less than the remainder of his contract. I weakened my squad because by paying these 640,000 euros (included in the Stade’s salary cap), I deprived myself of the possibility of recruiting another player. »
However, Cheslin Kolbe had indeed signed the termination of his contract with Stade-Toulousain and had signed his new contract with the Rugby Club Toulonnais.
But Didier Lacroix still decided to protect himself and avoid legal action with Cheslin Kolbe. Extract:
“No player leaves with nothing. »
However, Melvyn Jaminet left Toulouse to join Toulon without requesting the slightest compensation. Didier Lacroix reacts. Extract:
“The context of Melvyn’s departure, more fluid and less sulfurous than that of Cheslin. There are no outstanding charges regarding Melvyn because we paid him, including during the period when he was with the French team (isn’t that what is done for every international?). And then, the rules governing transfers changed. »
It was following this transfer of 640,000 euros made by Toulouse to Cheslin Kolbe that the Salary Cap Manager decided to intervene.
And for good reason, the latter considered that in the compensation of 2 million euros paid by the RCT to Toulouse a sum of 640,000 euros was taken which landed on Kolbe’s account, supplementing a salary that Toulon did not could not pay him without exceeding his payroll ceiling that season.
Here again, Didier Lacroix explains. Extract:
“Yes, there was a loophole and we legislated. I would like to hear this interpretation. Stupidly, I never thought about the interest that Toulon would have if we paid these 640,000 euros. Maybe I was too naive, too novice at that time. But, I repeat, everything was done legally, without ulterior motives. »
This is an incredible story!
2024-01-03 06:11:46
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