Former French champions Bordeaux have made the difficult decision to give up their professional status and terminate player contracts just days after being relegated to the third tier.
The six-time Ligue 1 winners were hoping for a takeover from Liverpool owners FSG to save them from further penalties following financial troubles in recent years. However, after FSG withdrew their interest, Bordeaux accepted the demotion to the National 1 Championship for the 2024/2025 season and renounced their professional status, which they first obtained in 1937.
🚨 Bordeaux have folded . The club informed the FFF that it was renouncing its professional status, obtained in… 1937.
Player contracts will be terminated and the training center closed, in order to reduce financing needs.
It’s over pic.twitter.com/UyDiBBdYNG
Advertisement— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) July 25, 2024
In a statement earlier this week regarding the failed takeover, Bordeaux said: “While discussions had resumed in recent days, FSG representatives indicated yesterday Monday July 22 to FC Girondins de Bordeaux and its shareholder their desire not to follow through despite the assurances provided by various stakeholders.
Therefore, in the absence of new elements, FC Girondins de Bordeaux withdrew the appeal lodged against the decision of the DNCG dated July 9, 2024. As a result, FC Girondins de Bordeaux accepts the sanction of administrative demotion within the National 1 Championship for the 2024/2025 season and will be summoned again to present its budget to the DNCG.”
Bordeaux’s fall from grace has been a difficult journey to witness. Having won Ligue 1 six times, most recently in 2009, the club has gone from the highest of highs to the lowest point in its history over the last 13 years.
As a result of the actions taken by Bordeaux, all player contracts will now be terminated, and the training center will be closed to reduce financial costs. This marks the end of three years of struggles, having initially gone into administration in 2021.
