Amiens President Confirms Club Has Been 'Forced' to Go to Court After Relegation From Ligue 1

Amiens president Bernard Joannin has confirmed that the club has been 'forced' to go to court, after the decision was made to relegate them from Ligue 1.

When play was halted due to the coronavirus crisis, Amiens found themselves sat in 19th place in the table, four points behind 18th-placed Nimes. However, following the decision to cancel the 2019/20 season due to the current pandemic, it was later confirmed that Amiens would still be relegated along with bottom club Toulouse - despite the fact that there were ten matches still left to play.

Normally, the side in 18th place would face the team who wins the playoffs in Ligue 2, but this has been scrapped for this season due to the virus so Nimes have retained their place in the top flight.

Amiens, however, aren't willing to accept the decision, and have even started legal proceedings. Club president Joannin has insisted that the decision was unjust and, therefore, they must contest it.

"We are forced to go to court...I would have preferred a thousand times that there were discussions with the president of the Federation, the club presidents to find solutions. But the Federation has been freezing. We had no chance to defend ourselves," Joannin said (via L'Equipe).

Joannin further went on to insist that the club had every chance of staying up had the season not been cancelled, especially considering their mentality and the fixture list. He added: “We had ten matches left and we were to meet in direct confrontation, the three clubs before us.

"Sporting fairness was not present in this decision. We must also look at the history of Amiens. In National, we went up on the last day. From Ligue 2 to Ligue 1, we went up at the last second. The first year of Ligue 1, we stayed in the last game. It's the Picard fighting spirit. We fight to the end."

The club's lawyer Christophe Bertrand has further added that Amiens are contesting the decision because of the hugely detrimental impact it will have on them.

He added (as quoted by BBC Sport): "We are not contesting the decision to stop the season. That is not really the object of these proceedings. It would be a bit inappropriate. However, what we are contesting are the consequences of the decisions that were taken."

The Daily Mail also note that Amiens recently decided to take a full page advertisement in French paper L'Equipe, demanding that the decision is overturned.