Soccer-Family of Louis-Dreyfus pledge commitment to Marseille

By Jean-Paul Couret

PARIS, July 5 (Reuters) - The family of the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus, Olympique Marseille's main shareholder, have committed themselves to the Ligue 1 club.

Louis-Dreyfus died late on Saturday aged 63 in a Zurich hospital where he was treated for leukaemia.

"Robert Louis-Dreyfus was so attached to Olympique Marseille that his heirs will pursue his work," the wife and three children of the Swiss businessman said in a statement on the club's website (www.om.net).

"In conformity with his will ... they will be eager to add new pages of glory in the history of the club with the current management."

Louis-Dreyfus took control of Marseille in 1997 and, according to French media reports, invested more than 200 million euros ($280.4 million) in the club.

He was also the main sponsor of Belgian club Standard Liege and the main shareholder in one of the world's leading commodities trading houses.

Media reports estimated his fortune at 100 million dollars.