Lyon (AFP)

"I have nothing to blame myself for," said Thursday AFP the president of Lyon Jean-Michel Aulas, posing as guarantor of "fairness and ethics" after weeks of controversy in football French.

Q: Are you still hoping that Ligue 1 will resume this season?

A: "When we are in good faith, and in front of the obvious, we must say that people who made the mistake of stopping too quickly will not make the second mistake which would be not to resume. hope it will resume. We could have done it in July, because nothing prevents us from resuming. Rennes and Strasbourg have already resumed individual training. "

Q: How did you feel when the German Championship resumed last weekend?

A: "The football enthusiast is happy. Societal life without football, after a pandemic as we have known it, is something terrible. It is a corner of blue sky which arrives by Germany. had a bit of nostalgia too, because they are the first in Europe to replay. This is completed by seeing our Italian friends resume training, the Spanish too and even the English. We will therefore be the only ones not to resume, for now. I'm very sad about it. "

Q: What is your assessment of the General Assembly of the League (LFP) held on Wednesday?

A: "The two meetings of the college of L1 (of which he is the president, editor's note) on Friday and Tuesday demonstrated that there was a good unity because we agreed on all the topics. TV rights affected by L2, editor's note), we agreed on the principles but we wanted things to be ratified at the level of the governance reform, by a modification of the law and the validation of the FFF which also seems This has led to the desire that this uncapping will not occur now. The only point that we have not systematically accepted is the amount of L2 resources (capped at 110 M EUR, the L2 clubs ask for 162 M EUR, note. To go beyond (110 M EUR), it is necessary to modify the governance of the League which showed during this period shortcomings, not to say more, extremely important. In agreement with the FFF and the Ministry of Sports, we would like to ns that we can put ourselves under a model of commercial society as in England. "

Q: What do you think of the transition from Ligue 2 to 22 clubs?

A: "It is an ubiquitous situation to want to play at 22. There is a problem of equity, compared to the choice made for L1. I would obviously support the position of Noël Le Graët on the subject, not because it's Noël Le Graët, but because it's against all the rules. The LFP, in interpreting the rules, said that the two relegated L1 clubs were going down, but not those of L2. causes the modalities of stopping the Championship, for relegations as well as for the top of the ranking. This gives a lot of arguments to the appeals that we have filed ".

Q: The letter from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, who deemed the L1 stop "premature", sheds new light on the decisions taken. Do you think that there could have been omissions on the elements given to the public authorities?

A: "I wonder day and night about what really happened. A number of people in football may have thought more of their personal interest than of the general interest. of a complaint to the Competition Authority. This letter from Aleksander Ceferin is very important on the date of August 3 (date advised by UEFA to end the season, but not binding, editor's note). to question whether there has been pressure from the football institutions themselves or even from leaders. "

Q: Media have reported on a coup attempt at the L1 college. Do you feel that there is an anti-Aulas sling?

A: "I don't think so. In their fantasies, a number of people can imagine resolving disagreements by trying to put me on the side. I have been campaigning for G14, at the ECA (European Club Association) for 33 years of which I am at the origin, during 25 years I was administrator and vice-president of the LFP, I am member of the Executive committee of the FFF. I am in the union Premier League, I am in FIFA to defend football I have nothing to blame myself for. I think I have demonstrated the vision of what a club and institution leader should be, all that was necessary to be in the right line of equity and ethics. If some people thought that I could not be at the post where I am, they had the opportunity on the last two colleges. At no time, it was not envisaged to end my functions. "

Interview by François-Jean TIXIER.

© 2020 AFP