The French Referees Committee has decided to relegate Nicolas Rainville in Ligue 2. An incomprehensible decision since it is an international referee who has been particularly successful these past two seasons.
The Referees Committee, which met in June to decide on assignments in the national divisions, made the iniquitous choice to demote Nicolas Rainville in Ligue 2. The referee from Nîmes has never been in line with the methods of his hierarchy and will pay a high price. They pointed out his frequent injuries, while Nicolas Rainville, who was perfectly suited to officiate, was not appointed in Ligue 1 between 12 January and 31 March 2019 and only have refereed 13 games in Ligue 1 this season. International referee since 2013, Nicolas Rainville has not always been the best, as in the match between Lens and PSG, in October 2014, at the Stade de France, when he sent off three players including two from Lens. A performance that made a lot of talks and that probably brought a big blow on his career. But to sum up his career only on this match would be reductive. How can the CFA relegate one of the most successful video assistant referees of the French championship and also at the international level since Nicolas Rainville had been the main video assistant referee of Clément Turpin on the Champions League quarter-final between Juventus and Ajax Amsterdam. Rainville will automatically lose his international badge that he can still wear in Ligue 2 until 31 December 2019. Probably, a very unique case.
