While the threat of administrative demotion in Ligue 2 looms over Olympique Lyonnais, we take a look back at these major French clubs which have experienced this mishap in the past.
Girondins de Bordeaux : The last case is that of Bordeaux, which was the new victim of Gérard Lopez. The scapular club was administratively demoted this summer. While they were playing in Ligue 2, the Girondins agreed to abandon their professional status to return to National 2.
Sochaux : A year before the Girondins, it was Sochaux which experienced a demotion to National 1. The owner of the club at the time and Samuel Laurent were unable to make up a deficit of 22 million euros to remain in Ligue 2 .
Bastia : Relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of the 2016-2017 season after a catastrophic season in Ligue 1, the Corsican club was demoted to National 3 after several potential buyer projects fell through.
Evian-Thonon-Gaillard : In July 2016, Evian-Thonon-Gaillard was demoted to Regional 2 after having played in the elite from 2011 to 2015. Five months later, a judicial liquidation was even declared for the Savoyard club, now renamed Thonon Evian Grand Genève Football Club.
Sedan : The palme d'or goes to Sedan, which has experienced two demotions in ten years, one in July 2013 and one in September 2023.
Le Mans : The Sarthe club went from the elite to the Division of Honor in the space of two years. First relegated sportingly to Ligue 2, Le Mans was administratively demoted to National then to CFA. In the end, the Sarthe club was excluded from the National Championships by the FFF in July 2012.
RC Strasbourg : The Alsatian club has returned from a descent into hell. Descended to CFA 2 in 2011 after a judicial liquidation, the RCSA took only six years to make its return to Ligue 1.
Grenoble : In 2011, there was also Grenoble which plummeted, filing for bankruptcy and also leaving CFA 2.
ABOUT : The most famous administrative relegation is of course that of Olympique de Marseille in 1994. But this time, it was for corruption. After the VA – OM affair, the Phocéens and Bernard Tapie were caught by the patrol and demoted to the second division.
Reims stadium : Finally, we will also remember the judicial liquidation of Reims in October 1991. The Champagne club was in debt of more than 50 million francs, or 11 million euros and had to leave the Honorary Division.
