'We did #NOT vote in favour of Ackerley'

REACTION: The Lions rejected outright reports that they supported the South African Rugby Union in last Friday’s contentious equity vote.

SARU’s leadership were given a collective ‘bloody nose’ last Friday.

A general meeting at the SARU members resolved to reject a proposal to accept a potential private equity investment in the sport’s commercial rights.

The proposal failed to reach the 75 percent majority required for such a transaction to be approved. Seven of the 13 member unions with voting rights opposed the proposal.

Weekend media reports suggested that the Lions – led by Altmann Allers, the majority shareholder and Chairman of the board – did an about-turn and voted in favour of the Ackerley proposal.

This, according to the reports, was despite Allers having been a signatory to a strongly-worded letter of objection back in October.

The Sharks, Bulls, Lions, Stormers, Boland, Griquas and Cheetahs signed the letter – dated October 14.

The weekend reports suggested the Cheetahs, Griquas, Pumas, South Western Districts, Sharks, Bulls and Boland were the seven votes #AGAINST.

The Stormers were unable to vote because their parent body, the Western Province Rugby Football Union, is still under administration.

It was suggested the Lions did not vote with the other professional franchises and supported SARU’s proposal.

Allers denied this.

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“The Lions did not vote in favour of the Ackerley deal,” he told @rugby365com when asked about the outcome of last Friday’s meeting and the suggestion that they turned their backs on the other franchises.

“The Lions is in favour of an improved deal – to be tabled at the end of December – for discussion in January.”

The Ackerley Sports Group – which was identified by the members as the preferred bidder in December 2023 – has an exclusivity period until the end of 2024 to make a revised offer, should it wish.

ASG has not formally indicated if they will table a revised offer.

Allers said they are standing firmly with the Sharks, Bulls and Stormers.

‘The Lions did not make an about turn,” Allers told @rugby365com, adding: “The Lions are committed to ensuring a fair and sustainable deal is presented to SARU and the member unions.”

@king365ed
@rugby365com

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