LFP disciplinary head Sébastien Deneux explains the decision to confirm the 0-0 result for the Nantes-Toulouse match, which was halted on May 17th following a pitch invasion. This ruling has been met with opposition from Toulouse.
The final Ligue 1 fixture between Nantes and Toulouse on May 17th was brought to an early close after Nantes supporters stormed the pitch. Following this disruption, the LFP Disciplinary Commission’s decision to validate the 0-0 scoreline has been poorly received by Toulouse FC, who are now considering an appeal against the ruling.
In an official statement, Toulouse FC expressed their dissatisfaction: « We regret that this encounter could not conclude under normal circumstances, and we question what the club could realistically have done, given the situation, to allow the match to finish. We will also remain vigilant regarding potential negative consequences such a decision might lead to in the future. » It is widely believed that the Toulouse club would have preferred to be awarded a 3-0 victory by forfeit. Sébastien Deneux, President of the LFP Disciplinary Commission, has now addressed this emerging controversy.
When questioned about the decision to uphold the original score, especially since Nantes and its supporters caused the interruption, Sébastien Deneux clarified the commission’s stance. He explained that this specific option was integrated into the regulations two years ago. Previously, if a match was permanently halted, the only choices were to declare a forfeit or replay the game with a 0-0 starting score. Deneux highlighted a critical factor in this particular case: at the moment of the interruption, there were no significant sporting implications for either team. FC Nantes had already been relegated, and Toulouse FC, regardless of a draw or a victory, would secure 9th place in the Ligue 1 standings with either 45 or 47 points. Therefore, from a purely sporting perspective, whether the match was deemed a forfeit or the 0-0 score was confirmed, the outcome remained precisely the same.
« It is absolutely out of the question for clubs and supporters to attempt to influence the outcome of a match through their actions. »
Addressing why this specific decision was made instead of declaring a forfeit, Deneux explained that the Disciplinary Commission’s expanded options were specifically designed to separate sporting results from disciplinary sanctions as much as possible. This approach aims to prevent any “windfall effect,” where a club might gain an unearned sporting advantage due to the opposing supporters’ conduct at the time the match was stopped. In this instance, confirming the existing score was chosen because it would be highly questionable to award Toulouse FC a 3-0 victory by forfeit for a game that was interrupted at 0-0.
When asked if this ruling could set a dangerous precedent for future incidents, Deneux firmly disagreed. He reiterated that this decision must be viewed through the unique lens of the absence of sporting impact, as previously emphasized. He stated that in virtually any other scenario, without delving into “disciplinary fiction,” a different outcome would almost certainly have been reached. Deneux stressed that it is entirely unacceptable for clubs or their supporters to attempt to influence a match’s fate through a permanent interruption, hoping to gain any form of advantage. He concluded by asserting that the commission will remain exceptionally vigilant on this matter.
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