Court upholds ban on Lyon supporters

An order banning Lyon supporters from attending Sunday’s derby with Saint-Etienne has been upheld.

Lyon’s court for administrative issues threw out a joint appeal made by the club and the Kop Virage Nord supporters’ association, confirming the decision of the Loire department authorities to prevent fans travelling to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. That initial decision had itself already been supported by the Ministry of the Interior last weekend.

Lyon’s fight against the decision, which was made in light of violent incidents at last season’s derby in Lyon, will continue.

Club president Jean-Michel Aulas has asked the State Council, which has the final say over administrative cases in France, to overturn the Ministry of the Interior’s decision.

Aulas will travel to Paris in person on Friday in an attempt to sway the State Council, which will announce its judgement at the end of the week.