Press release from Cabinet BERTRAND
Appeal against the decision of the Executive Committee of the French Football Federation (FFF) of April 16, 2020
The Comex decision of April 16, 2020 pronounced the end of the amateur championships
The decision of April 16, 2020 pronounced the end of the amateur championships (except the championship of N1 and D1 women) on March 13, 2020 and announced the modalities of accession and demotion.
This decision taken by the Executive Committee of the Federation, in the absence of any consultation and any consultation of the clubs directly concerned by these new measures, was perceived as arbitrary and contrary to sports equity by many football clubs. amateur.
A significant number of these clubs, affiliated for the most part with the French Amateur Football Association and the collective of clubs led by Mr. Patrick GONZALEZ, President of AS Saint-Priest, have decided to unite and appeal to Cabinet Bertrand to contest the decision of the FFF Executive Committee.
With a view to and the desire for conciliation, on April 25, 2020, some forty requests were filed with the Conference of conciliators of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF).
The conciliation hearing was set for May 6, 2020 before the CNOSF
Concomitantly with these steps, the clubs concerned intend to remain very attentive and invite all amateur clubs to do the same with regard to the decisions which could be pronounced very soon by the dedicated commissions of the FFF, Leagues and Districts relating to formalization of the classifications and the groups of championships, the appeal periods being extremely short (in general, 7 days under the terms of article 190 of the General Regulations of the FFF, but sometimes reduced to 2 days by certain Specific Regulations of the Leagues).
In addition, the amateur clubs concerned, as well as all French amateur clubs will be very attentive to the decisions to be made by professional clubs, some of which are considering public appeals.
Finally, the clubs specify that the prior and compulsory referral to the conference of CNOSF conciliators could only be a first step in the conflict between them and the FFF. They will remain just as vigilant on any legislative or regulatory text of the government which certain sources state, which could try to validate a posteriori and with retroactive effect, regulatory modifications which would not be in conformity with the best interest of football and which, of more could interfere with the separation of executive power from the judiciary.
