"Si l'arbitrage perd son indépendance, on n'a plus le même football": Benoît Bastien rappelle l'importance de ne pas céder aux pressions de dirigeants comme Olivier Létang

Benoît Bastien, deputy technical director of refereeing at the French Football Federation (FFF), stressed the importance of referees remaining independent and not bowing to pressure from club presidents. He addressed comments made by Olivier Létang, president of Lille, who had criticized referees and was subsequently fined.

Last August, following a match between Lille and PSG, Létang publicly denounced "the lightness and lack of discernment in the choice of referees." He had written an email to the director of refereeing and football officials stating he could no longer accept matches officiated by a particular referee (Eric Wattellier) and that Lille reserved the right not to participate in matches if he were appointed again. Létang had previously been suspended for over two months for remarks made to Wattellier after a match in January 2026. This time, the Professional Football League's disciplinary committee fined him 20,000 euros.

French refereeing faces no pressure

Speaking on RMC's 'L'After Foot', Bastien reiterated that refereeing must be free from the influence of any president or club. He warned that losing refereeing independence, as seen in some countries, would fundamentally alter football and lead to more serious consequences.

"Refereeing is managed by the FFF, as per FIFA's charter," Bastien explained. "We assign referees based solely on sporting criteria and performance. We do not experience pressure at this level. Any referee can officiate Lille's matches."

Following this incident, Létang decided to withdraw from refereeing-related meetings, deeming them unproductive. He felt his efforts to improve football were not being heard and that the discussions lacked transparency and effectiveness, leading him to believe his time was being wasted.

Bastien also highlighted the educational work referees undertake in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and Ligue 3. "Our focus is on the pedagogical aspect," he said. "We aim to explain decisions clearly, whether to calm situations or otherwise. The goal is to explain the reasoning behind a call and what is expected. We carefully consider everything. Two critical elements are the accuracy of the decision and match control. These are fundamental expectations for a referee today. This human element is essential."