Ligue 1 latest: Amiens and Toulouse relegation suspended but no season restart

George Flood9 June 2020

Amiens and Toulouse have seen their relegation from Ligue 1 suspended by France’s highest administrative court, though the curtailed 2019-20 season will not resume.

Ligue 1's bottom duo had looked set to spend next season in the second tier of French domestic football after the campaign was ended prematurely in April amid the Covid-19 pandemic, with final finishing positions determined on a points-per-game basis.

Paris Saint-Germain were declared champions of France once again, with Ligue 2 promotion-chasers FC Lorient and RC Lens set to replace relegated Amiens and Toulouse, who appealed against the decision.

The French League and French Football Federation (FFF) have now been asked to re-examine the Ligue 1 format for 2020-21.

Lyon, who missed out on European qualification, launched an appeal and wanted to see the season resumed - a case perhaps strengthened when the French government subsequently announced cup matches can be played in July and August.

In its decision published on Tuesday, the Council of State said there was "no serious doubt on the legality of the decision" to curtail the season and said that the judge "validates the terms defined by the league, in particular for the classification of the Ligue 1 championship".

But it added: "The President considers that the League's administrative board could not legally rely, in deciding to relegate the lowest two (clubs) of the Ligue 1 ranking, on the fact that the current agreement concluded with the French Football Federation (FFF) provides for a limit of twenty clubs, while this agreement ends on June 30 and a new agreement will have to be signed.

"The judge therefore orders, in conjunction with the competent bodies of the FFF, to re-examine the question of the format of Ligue 1 for the 2020-2021 season, in the light of all the elements relating to the conditions in which this season is likely to take place, and to draw the consequences as to the principle of relegation before June 30."

The decision could now see the top-flight expanded for next season.

In a statement reacting to the news, Toulouse said: "The Toulouse Football Club (TFC) welcomes the order made today by the summary judge of the Council of State.

"The TFC, which maintains that the relegation pronouncement at the end of the last season was illegal, saw its constant position confirmed by the judge."

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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