Lyon will challenge the decision to end the Ligue 1 season early because of the coronavirus pandemic before the Council of State, France’s highest administrative court, a club source told AFP on Monday.
The club criticised
the April 30 ruling made by the French league (LFP) to declare the season over
following an announcement by the government that football could not restart
because of the health crisis.
Lyon president
Jean-Michel Aulas also wrote a letter Monday to France’s prime minister and
sports minister urging them to reconsider the decision, with the government
expected to announce next week a further loosening of the lockdown.
“Could we imagine
that 2 June is also a great opportunity to rectify the mistake concerning
French football and to allow, with a health protocol used everywhere, a gradual
resumption of training and, why not, a resumption of the 2019-20 season over
the months of July or August?” Aulas said.
Lyon, who have
reached this season’s Champions League last 16, were left seventh in the
standings and outside the European qualification places when the season was
halted.
An administrative
court in Paris has already rejected an appeal from the club.
The judge of the
Paris administrative court “has logically retained… that the decisions taken
by the league’s board of directors on April 30 could only be challenged before
the Council of State,” the LFP said in a statement on Friday.
Lyon took objection
to the LFP expressing satisfaction at the decision, replying via a statement of
their own that “the administrative tribunal did not rule on the merits of the
case”.
“It in no way
changes the nature and the basis of the action brought” by the club, Lyon said,
warning they would take the matter to the Council of State on Monday.
Amiens, who are
contesting their relegation to Ligue 2 and whose initial appeal was also turned
down last week by the Paris court, indicated their plans to turn to the Council
of State as well.