This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
Published on June 9, 2020, France's highest administrative court made a significant ruling in the ongoing Ligue 1 saga, blocking the relegation of Amiens and Toulouse from the top division while rejecting Lyon's appeal against the decision to declare the season over.
The Council of State validated the end of the season and the standings but suspended relegation, citing the extraordinary circumstances brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Amiens president Bernard Joannin expressed his satisfaction with the decision, stating, "I feel like football's values have won. For every employee, those in the academy, professional players, it's extraordinary because they are people and families who were scared they would lose their jobs."
The French league (LFP) had brought a premature end to the campaign in late April, and the judge also ordered the LFP to re-examine the proposed format for the top division next season, which could feature 22 teams in Ligue 1.
Amiens and Toulouse argued their relegation was "unjust and "arbitrary", while Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas was the leading voice against the decision to end the season early.
