By Jean-Francois Rosnoblet
MARSEILLE, France, June 18 - The owner of
Olympique Marseille on Monday denied misusing club funds in a
fraud scandal during the late 1990s as he sought to clear his
name on appeal.
Robert-Louis Dreyfus, who holds a majority stake in the
club, received a suspended three-year prison sentence last year
after being found guilty of involvement in the scandal linked to
player transfers in the late 1990s.
Former coach Rolland Courbis was sentenced to two years in
prison and ordered to serve an additional year from a previous
suspended sentence, and both men were fined 375,000 euros
($502,600) each.
"As president of OM, I obviously take responsibility for
these facts, but I do not recognise misappropriating company
funds," Dreyfus told the appeal trial, which opened on Monday.
Dreyfus and nine of the 12 other people originally convicted
appeared in court, including Courbis.
Prosecutors at the original trial said some 22 million euros
were illegally diverted from club funds as part of the transfer
of 15 players between 1997 and 1999 -- including Laurent Blanc
and Christophe Dugarry of France's 1998 World Cup winning squad.
COMPLICATED SYSTEM
During that trial, which took place after a six-year
investigation, the court heard of a complicated system of
international cash transfers between several tax havens as part
of a system of hidden commissions paid on player moves.
"I believe that there were only departure bonuses for
Laurent Blanc and the Argentine players," he said, referring to
some lesser-known South American professionals.
The case against the men also focused on the transfers of
French midfielder Claude Makelele and Italy's Fabrizio
Ravanelli.
Courbis, who was Marseille coach from 1997 to 1999,
continued to deny involvement in any unlawful payments, saying
he was interested only in sport.
"My job is to make sure I am a leader and to win
competitions. I am not proud of being a leader in this OM
dossier," he told the appeal trial.
Courbis, who has remained at liberty pending the outcome of
his appeal, currently trains second division club
Montpellier-Herault.
"I took part in discussions with players about their
transfer and their payment. For me, if there are differences in
the changing room over these astronomical amounts, that can
cause a sporting problem," Courbis said.