France’s former series champion Olympique Lyon has been convicted of forced off the first French league because of his financial situation. In terms of sport, Lyon had qualified as the sixth for the European Cup. After a hearing on Tuesday, the French Football Finance supervision DNCG (Direction National Du Contrôle de Gestung) confirmed the decision against whereabouts in Ligue 1.
OL is owned by the American John Textor. He also has shares in other professional clubs through his holding Eagle Football. One day before the heavy setback for Lyon, Crystal Palace from the English Premier League had announced that Robert Wood Johnson from the USA signed a binding contract to buy the shares of Eagle Football to Palace.
In France, the DNCG had already imposed on probation in November last year at the end of the season for Lyon, who had won the national title seven times in succession. At that time, the debts had amounted to around 500 million euros.
Textor could no longer convince the inspectors at the hearing. However, Lyon will appeal against the decision, as the club confirmed in a statement in the evening. It is incomprehensible “how an administrative decision can let such a large French association descend”. Sufficient capital and sporting success were able to demonstrate, wrote Olympique Lyon.
If it stayed for the forced relegation for Lyon, Stade Reims would benefit from it. The team had lost in the relegation against FC Metz.
