lfp disciplinary chief sébastien deneux clarifies nantes-toulouse 0-0 ruling
Sébastien Deneux, head of the LFP Disciplinary Committee, defends the decision to uphold the 0-0 score from the Nantes-Toulouse fixture, which was prematurely halted on May 17 due to a pitch invasion. This ruling has drawn criticism from the Toulouse camp.
Following the premature halt of the final Ligue 1 matchday fixture between Nantes and Toulouse on May 17, caused by Nantes supporters storming the pitch, Toulouse FC expressed strong disapproval of the LFP Disciplinary Committee’s decision to confirm the 0-0 outcome. The club has indicated it is considering an appeal against this ruling.
“We regret that this encounter could not be completed under normal circumstances, and we question what the club realistically could have done, given the situation, to allow the match to finish. We will also remain vigilant regarding the potential abuses such a decision might encourage in the future,” Toulouse FC stated in a communiqué. The Occitan club likely harbored hopes of being awarded a 3-0 victory by forfeit. Sébastien Deneux, president of the LFP Disciplinary Committee, now addresses the emerging controversy.
“The decision to validate the match score, especially when Nantes and its supporters caused the interruption, raises many questions…
Deneux explained that this specific option was integrated into the regulations two years ago. Previously, if a match was definitively halted, the choices were restricted to either a forfeit loss or rescheduling the game with a 0-0 starting score. He emphasized a crucial aspect of this case: there were no significant sporting implications for either team at the moment the game was stopped. FC Nantes had already been relegated, and Toulouse FC, whether achieving a draw or a win, would secure the 9th position in the Ligue 1 standings with 45 or 47 points, respectively. Consequently, he noted, from a purely sporting perspective, declaring the match lost or confirming the existing score yielded precisely the same outcome.
« It is absolutely out of the question for clubs and supporters to attempt to influence the outcome of a match through their behavior »
“But why opt for this decision instead of declaring a forfeit?”
The Disciplinary Committee’s expanded options were specifically designed to separate sporting consequences from disciplinary sanctions as much as possible, thereby preventing a “windfall effect.” This occurs when a club might gain an unearned sporting advantage due to the opposing supporters’ actions at the time of the match’s interruption. In this particular instance, confirming the score was chosen because it raises serious questions as to why Toulouse FC should be awarded a 3-0 victory in a match that was halted at 0-0.
“Do you not fear that this ruling could set a dangerous precedent for future incidents?”
“Not at all,” Deneux asserted. “Precisely because this decision must be viewed through the specific lens of its lack of sporting impact, as I just explained. In virtually any other scenario, it is almost certain that a different ruling would have been issued. It is absolutely unacceptable for clubs and their supporters to attempt to influence the course of a match through a definitive interruption, hoping to gain any form of advantage. We will remain exceptionally vigilant on this matter.”
