
PARIS/France – Bernard Tapie, a French businessman and former Olympique de Marseille (OM) president who led the soccer club to the Champions League title in 1993, died on Sunday aged 78.
Tapie’s family, French politicians and the OM soccer club announced the death.
‘Olympique de Marseille learned with deep sadness of the passing of Bernard Tapie. He will leave with a great void the hearts of the Marseillais and will forever remain in the legend of the club’, OM said in a statement.
Tapie, whose business interests also included a stake in sportwear company Adidas, had been suffering from stomach cancer for several years.
A charismatic president of Marseille from 1986 to 1994, he was at the helm when OM beat AC Milan 1-0 in the final of the Champions League. He was later sent to prison for corruption in a match – fixing scandal in the French first division.
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