Lille President Suspended for Four Months After PSG Draw Rant
Olivier Letang receives a harsher ban after the French football federation appealed his earlier fine over comments on the PSG draw.
LILLE, France – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – The Lille president suspended for four months is Olivier Letang, a Lille spokesperson confirmed on Thursday. The ban follows his harsh words about match officials.
The trouble began after Lille drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain in late August. Letang was unhappy with the amount of stoppage time played. He also objected to referee Eric Wattellier taking charge of the game.
He called the situation a “scandal.” He later emailed French refereeing chief Antony Gautier, along with officials at the French football federation and the league. In one message, he said Lille could no longer accept being refereed by this person.
In September, the league’s disciplinary commission fined Letang 20,000 euros. The federation felt this was too soft and filed an appeal. Its own appeals body then replaced the fine with the four-month suspension.
Letang told AFP he would use every legal route open to him. This could include taking the case to the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF).
This is not his first run-in with the rules. He was suspended for more than two months in January over comments about Wattellier. In 2025, UEFA also fined him 10,000 euros after he criticized an official following Lille’s Europa League loss to PAOK Salonika.
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