Guy Roux has won his battle against the French Professional Soccer League (LFP) who ruled he was too old at the age of 68 to coach Lens.
The LFP revealed that they had been overruled by the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF).
“The majority of the members of the executive committee have accepted the conciliatory proposal of the CNOSF which recommended the ratification of Guy Roux’s contract with Racing Lens as an exceptional measure,” the League said.
The affair caught the attention of French President Nicolas Sarkozy who criticised the LFP’s ruling last month.
“The President finds this decision regrettable”, the spokesman of the new French head of state told reporters.
“The President believes it is the rule that is old, not Guy Roux.”
French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde also backed Roux’s right to continue working beyond the stadard retirement age of 65.
“I think it’s stupid to tell someone good and competent you can’t work because you’re too old,” she said.
“I think these age limits … we should think about eliminating them. If Guy Roux is good, and I think he is a great coach, he must be able to coach.”
Roux spent 24 years as head coach of Auxerre before announcing his retirement in June 2005 to work as television consultant.
