FFF backs CNOSF, sealing Bordeaux’s fall from top tiers

On Saturday, the French Football Federation (FFF) backed the French National Olympic Sports Committee’s (CNOSF) refusal to allow Girondins de Bordeaux to re‑enter the national championships, confirming the club’s relegation to Regional 1 – the sixth tier – and leaving former star Zinedine Zidane to watch his once‑glorious side struggle.

1996 UEFA Cup final loss

In 1996, the Girondins de Bordeaux fell short in the final of the Coupe de l’UEFA (ex‑Ligue Europa), losing to the Allemands du Bayern Munich in Munich. Within the French squad, Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry were leading figures, two years before they lifted the 1998 World Cup with the Bleus.

FFF backs CNOSF rejection

Thirty years later, “Zizou” must lament the situation of his former club, a multiple champion of France and Coupe de France winner now facing financial turmoil. The FFF issued a short communiqué stating, “La Fédération Française de Football prend acte de la proposition de conciliation du CNOSF. Celle‑ci invite la SA FCGB (Football club des Girondins de Bordeaux) à s’en tenir à la décision contestée en estimant fondée l’appréciation portée sur la situation financière du club par la commission d’appel de la DNCG de la FFF.”

The federation, presided over by Philippe Diallo – who is also the hierarchical superior of Zinedine Zidane, manager of the Bleus – added that it now falls to the SA FCGB, not the FFF, to oppose the conciliation proposal if it wishes to pursue a contentious route.

FCGB could therefore turn to the administrative court to challenge the decision. After missing promotion to Ligue 3 last season, Bordeaux was excluded from the national championships because of debts and has been placed in the poule B of Regional 1, the sixth division of the Ligue de Nouvelle‑Aquitaine.

The club reacted on Friday to the CNOSF’s opinion with its own statement: “À ce stade, il ne s’agit pas d’une décision, mais d’une recommandation. La décision revient désormais au Comité exécutif de la Fédération Française de Football, seul habilité à statuer.” The FFF’s response thus delivers another hard blow to football in Bordeaux.