Benoît Bastien defends referee independence amid Lille row

Benoît Bastien has reaffirmed the independence of French football’s referees after Olivier Létang’s criticism of officials assigned to Lille. The deputy technical director of refereeing said decisions on appointments must remain based on sporting performance, rather than the demands of club presidents or teams. He added that any referee should be able to officiate a Lille match.

The issue follows a dispute between Létang and the refereeing authorities after Lille’s meeting with Paris Saint-Germain last August. The Lille president objected to Eric Wattellier’s appointment and warned that the club could refuse to play or stage a match if the official was selected again. Létang had already received a suspension lasting more than two months for comments about Wattellier during Lille’s 2-0 defeat by Rennes in January 2026. He has since been fined €20,000 by the Ligue de football professionnel’s disciplinary commission.

Létang later stopped attending meetings on refereeing, saying his proposals were not being heard and that the discussions lacked transparency and effectiveness. Bastien also highlighted the educational role expected from officials in Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and Ligue 3. He said referees must explain decisions, manage matches properly and preserve the human dimension of officiating, alongside making correct calls.