Coupe de France: the conditions for participation of amateur clubs are an aberration

The sixth round of the French Football Cup is to be played next weekend for amateur clubs.

The problem is, they can't train, they haven't been granted an hourly exemption from the curfew.

For Virginie Phulpin, this Coupe de France has become a mock competition. 

We have saved appearances for the Coupe de France, but we do not give the means to amateur clubs to play it.

So it's not really the Cup anymore.

Basically, saving this competition is nothing better.

It is a base in our country, we have already talked about it.

The only time when professional and amateur worlds can intersect.

And amateur sport needs that clarification right now.

But for that, the clubs would have to be able to prepare to play their matches.

And there, no time exemption was granted to them.

That is to say that curfew obliges, the still qualified teams cannot train after 6 p.m.

However, as their name suggests, amateurs are not football professionals.

They can't train during the day, they have a job elsewhere.

So it is nonsense to allow them to play the Cup without giving them the means.

Especially since they have not played in the league games since October.

Suffice to say that they need to train, if only to avoid multiple injuries.

So some have found solutions, such as scheduling training at 6:30 in the morning.

In January, it stings!

And then there is FC Flers, a Regional 1 club, which has simply decided to throw in the towel.

He had to face Rouen, where a lot of players have federal contracts, so they can train.

Virginie Phulpin understands that little thumbs do not necessarily want to serve as cannon fodder for the pros.

Because it pretty much comes down to that.  

So, should it be canceled, this Coupe de France?  

No, the problem is doing things halfway.

It's no use.

You have to choose clearly.

Either we maintain the Cup, which seems important to me, and we allow amateur clubs to have time exemptions.

This is what two deputies asked the Minister of Sports elsewhere.

Either we consider that the health situation does not allow it, which we want to understand, especially when we are on the verge of a third confinement, but in this case we must assume it, and explain that it does not can not be a Coupe de France this year.

There, we just pretend to be in a normal situation to preserve appearances.

Why ?

So that the president of the French football federation, Noël Le Graët, candidate for his own succession, can boast of having saved the beloved competition of the French?

No, in the current state of things, the Coupe de France is not saved.

It's another competition.

We would have to find another name: the Coupe de France for pros or the Coupe de la Ligue.