John Textor has criticised the decision process of France’s football watchdog after Lyon won their appeal against relegation.
The seven-time champions have been reinstated to Ligue 1 ahead of the upcoming campaign.
It comes after the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG) upheld the club’s provisional relegation for financial reasons following the end of last season.
Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings owns a majority share in Lyon, but he resigned from his position on the board following their relegation.
Explaining the club’s situation, Textor told White & Jordan: “I think people have to understand the DNCG.
“You’ve never seen a situation where a club goes into a hearing and it’s got significant cash on hand, significant cash flow coming in.
“It’s actually even projecting that it’s got another couple hundred million coming in from the sale of (Crystal) Palace.
“How does a club like that get relegated for sustainability purposes? And in the same week, we passed through the sustainability review of UEFA, which is quite comprehensive, extremely professional.
“The answer is the process of the DNCG is very subjective. It’s not black and white. They will literally take your player revenues, transfer revenues and say, well, that needs to count for zero.
“We do $100million-a-year in player sales. Well, under their model of sustainability, they have to project forward as if you have no player sales.
“But a $70million contract from a forward sale of an intangible asset, they didn’t really like that deal. They said $70million, toss it out. $100million of player sales, toss it out.
“But there was a suggestion. $10million a month from our multi-club cash flows that comes from Botafogo and other places. $130million in the OL [Lyon] over the last 12 months and toss it out.”
talkSPORTTextor admitted his involvement was ‘the problem’ when meeting with the DNCG[/caption] FA Cup winners Palace are at risk of not being allowed to play in the Europa LeagueGettyAsked if he was the reason for Lyon’s sanctions, the American businessman added: “I think I’m very much the issue.
“I’m attempting to be an agent of change. I think the governance in France is not working.
“We’re trying to bring a Premier League model in which every club has a vote. It hasn’t been done that way previously.
“The league is constantly being accused of corruption. There was just a claim against the president.
“The French Football Federation is trying to take over, which is a huge mistake. And I show up and we have a bunch of panels and I say I’m literally challenging the existence of the DNCG and whether or not they should exist.
“So if I’m talking about a new model, a reformist model where there is no DNCG but there are black and white rules like we have in the Premier League, I’m probably not the best guy to go in front of that same DNCG and ask their support. So yes, the problem is me.
“I was a disruptor, a reformist. Yeah, the cowboy hat was funny, but not to them. Nasser (Al-Khelaifi) liked it and thought it was funny. He and I are getting along very well.
“But no, I don’t work very well in the governing model of France and that’s the big reason for staying.”
Lyon’s return to Ligue 1 has also cleared the club to play in the Europa League next season.
Meanwhile, the move will likely see Crystal Palace demoted to the Conference League due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.
That is despite Textor selling his shares to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and having no decisive influence at Selhurst Park.
UEFA delayed their final decision until after Lyon’s appeal was resolved, with the club winning their case on Wednesday.
GettyPalace could still miss out on the Europa League despite Textor selling his shares[/caption]Palace had qualified for the league phase of the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in May.
Nottingham Forest are set to take their place in the competition if the Eagles are demoted to the Conference League.
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