Vitré Basketball Club Stripped of Victory After Appeal Ruling Over Timing Malfunction
VITRÉ, FRANCE – Aurore Vitré has lost a hard-fought victory against Rennes in a controversial decision by the French Basketball Federation (FFB) Appeal Chamber. The club was penalized wiht a loss by default for the October 10th match, despite having won a replay of the game on the court.
The initial National Men’s 1 (NM1) game between Vitré and Rennes was halted after just 10 minutes, with Rennes leading 19-14, due too a timing failure. Referees stopped the contest due to the malfunctioning equipment. while a federal commission initially ruled the game would be replayed – a decision contested by Rennes – the FFB Appeal Chamber overturned that decision, effectively awarding the win to Rennes.
“The administrative wins over the sporting,while the match was indeed replayed and won on the field,” stated aurore Vitré in a press release. the club argues the penalty is a “double penalty,” as they not only lose the win achieved in the replay but also forfeit two points in the standings while Rennes gains two.
According to vitré, the federal commission that originally decided on a replay was absent during the appeal session and unable to present its reasoning. The club is now exploring all available avenues for further appeal.
“The clock problem that caused the match to be stopped was unpredictable, as any technical problem with sports equipment can be,” the club added. “The decision to stop the match was taken by the referees, and not by Aurore Vitré. However, it is our club that finds itself penalized.”
