France: creation of Unipros unites unions of professional clubs in five major team sports

The five unions of professional clubs of the major team sports (basketball, football, handball, rugby and volleyball) have created Unipros, a union of employers of professional team sports in France, the newly organised body announced on 17/09/2014.

The UCPF (Union of Professional Football Clubs), the UCPB (Union of Professional Basketball Clubs), the UCPR (Union of Professional Rugby Clubs), the UCPH (Union of Professional Handball Clubs) and UCPVB (Union of Professional Volleyball Clubs) united "to highlight the economic and social responsibility assumed by professional sports clubs, (the) real providers of jobs," indicated these bodies.

"It seemed necessary for a unifying organisation that can promote employers and bear the main concerns of employers in French professional sports," said Unipros on 17/09/2014.

This new organisation has set the objectives of "promoting and defending common interests with political and sports institutions and sharing of good practice." Managed by a board and a general assembly, Unipros is chaired by Jean-Pierre Louvel, president of the UCPF.