Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) Disciplines Footballers, but Keeps Breach Details Under Wraps
In an effort to uphold the strict ban on betting within French professional football, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has taken disciplinary action against 35 players involved in violations during the 2021-2022 season. While the LFP’s Disciplinary Committee has chosen not to disclose the specifics of each breach, it has imposed fines and suspensions to maintain the integrity of the sport.
Among the sanctioned players, Wahbi Khazri, a Tunisian international representing Montpellier in Ligue 1, has been fined €3,000. Ludovic Blas, a midfielder for Nantes, received a €2,000 fine, while Mathis Ansar from Chamois Niortai faces a three-game suspension along with a further three-game ban that has been suspended, in addition to a monetary penalty.
In a similar vein, Souleymane Cisse, Antoine Dana, and Evan Huriez have each been handed two-game suspensions. Meanwhile, Kevin Boma, Djibril Lamego, Eliot Pasture, and Alexandre Moliner, among others, have been issued a €1,000 suspended fine.
Since the 2013-14 season, the LFP has collaborated with the French gambling regulator Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) and has enforced penalties on 14 occasions to preserve the integrity of football.
Decreased Mediation Requests to French Gambling Ombudsman in 2022
The annual report from L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) sheds light on the activities of France’s gambling ombudsman, Denys Millet, revealing a 20.8% decline in mediation requests received in 2022 compared to the previous year.
Out of the 1,373 requests for mediation received, 744 were deemed admissible, while 629 were considered inadmissible. Notably, complaints involving Winamax, a prominent gambling operator, accounted for 20% of the admissible requests, down from 39% in 2021 due to a reduction in repeat complaints and disputes related to welcome offers.
