Vincent Labrune's main opponent for the post of president of the Professional Football League (LFP), Cyril Linette saw his chances of victory go up in smoke in one fell swoop. After obtaining the sponsorship of the French professional clubs' union Foot Unis on Thursday, the 53-year-old did not receive that of the Union of Football Actors (UAF). The latter is essential to be able to run.
The main person concerned reacted on X: " With their decision, the 'families' are depriving French football, in the midst of a crisis, of the necessary debate on its future. They are opening the way to an election to the LFP without opposition, in contradiction with the vote of the club presidents yesterday. We will not allow this sabotage between friends to happen, which puts the interests of a small number above the general interest of French football. "
According to information from L'Équipe, confirmed by Le Parisien, two candidates have both sponsorships. They are Karl Olive - Renaissance MP for Yvelines and representative of the Federation - and... Vincent Labrune. Faced with a lack of competition, the latter is the favorite to succeed himself on September 10, despite the rain of criticism that has rained down on him in recent weeks. The TV rights are being called into question.
It is a turnaround that has probably decided the identity of the next president of the Professional Football League. And it will not be Cyril Linette, who did not obtain this Friday morning the second sponsorship necessary to submit his candidacy, according to information from RMC Sport that we are able to confirm.
This Thursday, Foot Unis, the union of French professional clubs, announced after a secret ballot that it was granting its sponsorships for the election to the Board of Directors to four candidates: Vincent Labrune, Cyril Linette, Gervais Martel and Karl Olive. Linette, with 57 votes, was close behind Labrune, with 62 votes.
This Friday morning, the Union of Football Actors (UAF), which provides the second sponsorship required by declared candidates, did not choose to follow this path.
The candidates to whom the UAF has given its sponsorships are, for the moment, not known. Contacted, the latter did not wish to confirm or deny this information and informed Le Parisien that the drafting of a press release was in progress.
Cyril Linette, who had established himself in the media in recent days as the first alternative proposal to the re-election of Vincent Labrune, will therefore not have the opportunity to weigh in, as he had hoped, in the debate surrounding this election.
Scheduled for September 10, the elections for the composition of the next board of directors of the LFP and for the next president should, if this scenario is confirmed, confirm in his place the current leader of the League, Vincent Labrune, who has nevertheless been strongly criticized in recent weeks in the midst of the storm surrounding the TV rights of Ligue 1.
