The Comité national olympique et sportif français (CNOSF) officially rejected AS Monaco’s appeal on Friday, September 18, closing off the club’s remaining avenues for a professional or third-division national league spot. According to reports from ICI Côte d’Azur, the French Olympic committee confirmed the unfavorable ruling previously issued by the Fédération française de basket (FFBB) on Saturday, September 12, leaving the reigning French champions facing potential judicial liquidation and the loss of their professional status.
AS Monaco Basket Rejection: CNOSF Denies Appeal and Third-Division Request
The Legal Battle and Third-Division Plea
Following a summer-long process that barred the reigning French champions from participating in top-tier professional leagues like Elite and Elite 2, AS Monaco petitioned the FFBB for entry into the Nationale 1 (NM1) third division. According to legal correspondence cited by ICI Côte d’Azur, club lawyer Me Le Cerf-Gall addressed a letter to FFBB president Jean-Pierre Hunckler urging the federation to reconsider its stance to prevent corporate dissolution. Me Le Cerf-Gall stated that a failure to integrate into a high-level championship forces the immediate layoff of 22 employees, destroys the company’s social purpose, and likely triggers the liquidation of the entity.
LNB President Addresses the Club’s Collapse
Ligue nationale de basket (LNB) President Philippe Ausseur spoke to AFP regarding the fallout, characterizing the situation as a loss for French basketball. “With Monaco, we lose a locomotive,” Ausseur told AFP, noting that while the team was magnificent on the court, internal administrative, economic, and governance models fell short. Ausseur also clarified that the club’s four titles won during the 2025–2026 season were not won “on credit” since Monaco settled its official salaries and debts to the league and suppliers by the end of the campaign, relying partly on support from the Monégasque state.
Financial Realities and DNCCG Oversight
According to LNB President Philippe Ausseur, the Direction nationale du contrôle de gestion (DNCCG) operated under the assumption that owner Aleksej Fedoricsev would continue covering club debts as seen in previous seasons. However, an unexpected financial barrier prevented Fedoricsev from paying, leading the DNCCG to tighten financial enforcement and requirements moving forward. With the CNOSF conciliation process exhausted, AS Monaco faces potential final hurdles through the Tribunal administratif as the NM1 season begins.
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