During their match against Olympique Lyonnais, Dijon Women decided to make a powerful statement by putting black tape over the club badge in protest to how they are being treated by their management. Dijon Women Football Team are currently fifth in the French First division and have competed in the highest tier of French football for eight consecutive seasons from 2018/19 through to 2025/26. Despite this, they could lose their professional status as soon as next season.
Dijon Women face an uncertain future due to devastating funding cuts, or even the complete dissolution of the women’s team, which the players only learned about through a statement published on the club’s website. The financial crisis at the club has had a significant impact on the women’s team, with the side up for sale since the appointment of Club President Pierre-Henri Deballon on 2nd July 2024. Amid this controversy, Deballon has received a lot of criticism with players expressing that it is “absent leadership”. This came after Dijon announced plans in April this year to scale back the women’s team, citing a lack of resources.
However, Deballon has acknowledged that he can no longer financially sustain both teams and has chosen to prioritise the men’s side, who compete as a non-professional team in France’s third division, on the basis that they generate more revenue.
“We cannot invest the same energy in men’s and women’s football. That’s unrealistic.” Deballon states.
This statement from the club president is interesting, as there is no direct mention of financial constraints. Instead, he explains that the club cannot focus its energy on two teams. It raises the question of whether finances are truly the issue here, or if this reflects a broader lack of interest in supporting the women’s team.
In contrast to this, the reasons for Deballon’s apprehensions could be the fact that according to the board, Dijon are running a deficit of around €5m (£4.4m), with the women’s team accounting for €1.5m in losses. A figure that has been disputed by financial officers on the women’s side, who claim the amount is closer to £600,000. That gap could have been reduced had a €100,000 offer for Poland international Nadia Krezyman not been rejected — an offer that Deballon was reportedly unaware of.
By covering their badge, Dijon Women are making a stand against their treatment. In solidarity, the Dijon Men’s team wore t-shirts when walking onto the pitch saying “support for the women’s section” before their game against Sochaux.
Both teams making a statement shows that, despite one side of the club being discarded and the other being prioritised, they have come together to express their frustration with the situation and present a united front.
