Monaco points deduction overturned on appeal

An appeals committee at the French Football Federation (FFF) on Tuesday cancelled a two-point deduction imposed on Monaco but upheld a ruling to play one match behind closed doors. The FFF said it had overturned the points deduction given after a Ligue 2 match against Le Mans on May 17, when fans set off flares and invaded the pitch. One fan also attacked the referee in the incident, which came after Monaco secured promotion back to the top flight. Monaco had said they should be treated like any other club, criticising the sanction -- which also includes a suspended one point deduction -- as unduly harsh and disproportionate, but have now admitted that they will not appeal the amended punishment. Monaco opened their Ligue 1 account on Saturday with a 2-0 win against Bordeaux. The FFF said that supporters would be allowed to attend this Sunday\'s match between Monaco and Montpellier at the Stade Louis II -- for which tickets have already been sold -- and that the behind-closed-doors match would be the principality side\'s next home game, against Toulouse on August 23. The federation said separately that Nantes had been given a suspended penalty of one match to be played behind closed doors after fans threw fireworks and some invaded the pitch during their Ligue 2 match against Sedan, also on May 17. Nantes had previously been fined 25,000 euros ($33,000) but the penalty was struck out on appeal. Source: AFP