Lyon, Toulouse and Amiens have failed in their first appeal against the Ligue 1 season ending early.
Unlike Europe’s other major divisions, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) made the decision to end the season early at the end of April.
Football was suspended in France in mid-March and the LFP’s decision followed the Belgian Pro League and Dutch Eredivisie in curtailing the season amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Final standings were worked out on a points-per-game basis, with Paris Saint-Germain crowned champions and bottom two clubs Toulouse and Amiens relegated.
Meanwhile, Lyon finished seventh and missed out on qualification for European competition for the first time since 1997.
(Image: REUTERS)
Lyon threatened legal action against the LFP but a first complaint alongside the two relegated clubs to the administrative court of Paris was thrown out on Friday.
In response to the decision, the LFP said in a statement : “The LFP has taken note with satisfaction of the decision to reject the appeal from Lyon, Amiens and Toulouse in front of the judge of the administrative court of Paris.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
“The judge logically considered that the three orders lodged this Friday afternoon that the decision taken by the League’s board of directors on April 30 could only be challenged in front of the Conseil d’Etat, which is competent to hear acts of a regulatory nature taken by authorities with a nationwide jurisdiction, such as the LFP.”
And the decision prompted an irritated reaction from Lyon, who claimed “the administrative tribunal did not rule on the merits of the case”.
Confusing the proceedings is the decision made on Thursday for Ligue 2 to feature 22 teams next season rather than the usual 20.
Ligue 2’s bottom clubs Orleans and Le Mans will be reprieved from relegation to National 1, raising questions among Toulouse and Amiens chiefs as to why there can be no reprieve from Ligue 1 relegation.
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