Support to Lemoine: A financial sanction for Rennes

The Stade Rennais could be forced to pay a €7,500 fine to the Professional Football League (LFP). This is the incredible decision that could follow the conflict between the club and the LFP before the Saint Etienne game.

Reminder: The Stade Rennais had decided to show their support to Fabien Lemoine before the home game against Saint Etienne. Badly injured against Nancy a week earlier, Lemoine had a kidney removed two days before. To show him support, all Rennes player were wearing a t-shirt bearing the player’s face and a message of support.

As they prepared to enter the field with this t-shirt for the pre-game protocol, the starting eleven were stopped from doing so by the League’s delegate. After some discussion, the players were forced to take off the T-shirts and entered the pitch with a five minutes delay, also delaying the kick-off.

Despite Frédéric Antonetti’s anger in the Stadium’s corridors, against the League’s representative and in front of the Canal + cameras, no tribute could be paid as the players wished.

The Stade Rennais then explained that a written request had been addressed to the League, which refused to issue derogation. Contacted by football365.fr, the LFP replied that « generally, if a delay to kick off occurs and can be blamed on one of the teams, the responsible club is liable for a €7,500 fine”. Ouest-France added on Thursday that the club had received “a formal request from the Professional Football League for explanations on the circumstances and causes of the delay.”

Such are the incredible consequences of a solidary initiative by the Stade Rennais, whose goal was nothing but showing support to a seriously injured player.