Lens appear unlikely to secure promotion to Ligue 1 with their president admitting the funds required to be admitted into the top flight "will never arrive."
- Koumbouare blasts Lens chiefs over debacle
Lens finished runners-up in Ligue 2 last season, a performance they thought would be enough to see them return to French football's elite. However, the body that oversees French football's finances, the DNCG, has refused to validate the club's promotion due to a discrepancy in their planned 48 million euro budget.
Though 18 million euros have been guaranteed by the Azeri national bank in the home country of Lens' wealthy owner Hafiz Mammadov, the DNCG asked the multi-millionaire -- who rescued the club from financial ruin when he took a majority holding a year ago -- to provide a further 10 million euros.
After initially claiming there had simply been an administrative mix-up between banks, Lens president Gervais Martel said he had given up hope of securing the extra funds, if not of saving the northern club's place in Ligue 1 next season.
"They 10 million [euros] will never arrive," Martel, 59, told France 2 on Sunday. "I explained that to a certain number of fans whom I met on Thursday.
"Hafiz Mammadov is very annoyed by the DNCG's demand. He considers that he brought in 20 million euros, paid in full and on time, last year. He feels that he has given 18 million guaranteed, which isn't nothing, by the Azeri national bank. He wants to bring in the rest of the money little-by-little, so he decided at the last minute not to send us the 10 million."
With the Ligue 2 season due to start on Aug. 1, time is running out for Lens' appeal, which they have now taken to France's Olympic Committee. Until their place in Ligue 1 is confirmed, coach Antoine Kombouare has refused to take charge of the squad, who began their preseason training in late June.
Martel remains confident his team will be able to return to L1 after a three-season absence, particularly as he has reduced the club's budget to compensate for the missing millions.
"We have modified our budget taking into account the 10 million which hasn't arrived, but rest assured, we'll be taking several million with us and we're going to reduce the club's costs a little."