London (AFP)

In Scotland, Belgium or the Netherlands, a rain of litigation threatens the championships which have chosen to stop their season, with private European or accession clubs, as well as those relegated, who are fighting against a decision deemed arbitrary.

The Dutch Federation (KNVB) was the first to formally end its championship, deciding that there would be no champion, no relegation, no promotion. Ajax and AZ Alkmaar, leaders separated only by goal difference, agreed not to be decided on the green carpet.

But behind them, it's booming, starting with FC Utrecht who saw the European ticket soar that he could win via the championship soar - he was 6th three points behind 5th qualifying place, with one game less - or with the Netherlands Cup final to be played against Feyenoord.

"We will use all possible remedies to reverse the KNVB decision," owner Frans van Seumeren told local media.

At the lower level, the decision also made waves.

If it offered an almost unexpected support to ADO The Hague and RKC Walwijk, the clubs of D2 Cambuur Leuwaarden and De Graafschap, practically assured of the rise in Eredivisie, remain at the quay but do not disarm.

Cambuur decided to take the case to court, criticizing "the lack of transparency of the KNVB" and a decision "unethical sports", which will deprive the club "of revenues estimated at 1.5 million euros "in the event of a climb.

The lack of promotions is "the biggest scandal in the history of Dutch football," thundered club manager Henk de Jong.

De Graafschap made the same decision and the same renowned lawyer, Dolf Segaar, who has already won several lawsuits against the Federation.

But according to several experts, these complaints are unlikely to succeed. "A judge in the Netherlands hardly takes sport aspects into account, but judges the procedure above all," said ANP news agency Marjan Olfers, a sports and law professor.

- Scottish imbroglio -

In Belgium, the decision to stop the competition has yet to be finalized on May 4, but points of friction have already been identified, such as the holding of the Cup final that Antwerp absolutely wants to compete against FC Bruges. A victory would directly qualify the Antwerp club for the group stage in the Europa League.

As for Scotland, the League (SPFL) thought it had done everything well by submitting to the vote of the 42 clubs a project providing for the immediate cessation of the three lower divisions and giving it the power to stop the Premiership later if any resumption ultimately proved impossible.

The decision had to be endorsed by 75% of the clubs in each division to be adopted.

But an incredible combination of circumstances - a negative vote from Dundee FC would never have been received by the FBCL because it would have arrived in spam emails, before a finally positive vote from the club which changed its mind, five days more late - plunged Scottish football into a lasting imbroglio.

A first audit, carried out by Deloitte, concluded that the vote was sincere, which gave more than 80% support for the motion in total.

But the Rangers, who could theoretically contest the 9th consecutive Celtic Glasgow title despite 13 points behind, as well as Hearts of Midlothian and Stranraer, whom this vote condemns to relegation to D2 and D4 respectively, call for a new independent investigation, accusing the FBCL of having exerted pressure on certain clubs.

The Rangers have promised to provide "overwhelming" evidence of "harassment" by the FBCL before a general assembly which promises to be explosive on May 12.

© 2020 AFP