French Clubs Caen, Nîmes Could Be Expelled Amid Match-Fixing Probe

French League (LFP) President Frederic Thiriez said that Caen and Nîmes could be expelled from Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, respectively, "should match-fixing allegations be proven," according to Julien Pretot of REUTERS. Thiriez: “If corruption, match fixing ... were to be proven, the League would impose the necessary sanctions with the greatest severity and I remind you that it could go as far as the exclusion from the league." Caen Chair Jean-Francois Fortin "was among nine people arrested on Tuesday morning on suspicion of fixing the result of a game between his team and Nîmes last season, allowing the southern club to stay in Ligue 2." Nîmes President Jean-Marc Conrad "has also been arrested." He added that the LFP and the French Football Federation "would join a potential law suit as a civil party" (REUTERS, 11/18). SPORT 24 reported Caen coach Patrice Garande and Sport Dir Xavier Gravelaine reaffirmed Tuesday that their club had "nothing to do with these match-fixing allegations and fiercely attacked the Nîmes club." Garande said, “I will not allow the smearing of my players, who had an exceptional and flawless run last year! I will not stand for the smearing of this city, club, and its supporters. The rise from last year is 1,000 times deserved. Last year you could see all my virulence and my hatred against the French football authorities and Nîmes.” Gravelaine said, “The problem, it’s not football, it’s Nîmes Olympique that has had troubles for some months. Football is not any dirtier than many other parts of society” (SPORT 24, 11/18). SPORT 24 also wrote French online gambling regulator ARJEL indicated that for its part, there is "no evidence of a manipulation" around the Caen-Nîmes match. In a statement Tuesday, ARJEL said, “This match generated €217,000 ($272,00) in bets, which is the norm for a single match on Tuesday." The “nil-nil draw” result that raised questions attracted only 10% of the bets, only €20,000 ($25,000), with the biggest bet on the “nil-nil draw” being almost €500 ($627). Under the current investigation that it is entitled to conduct, ARJEL emphasized that a manipulation "must be proven; it is not rooted in nor caused by online sports betting in France” (SPORT 24, 11/18).