Monaco’s Roca Team has taken its next legal step in the ongoing fight for a place in French professional basketball, referring its case to the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) after the French Basketball Federation’s Appeals Chamber upheld its earlier ruling denying the club entry.
In a statement, the club confirmed it had launched a conciliation procedure with the CNOSF, aimed at securing a review of Monaco’s admission into next season’s Betclic ÉLITE championship, following the Appeals Chamber’s decision.
The move marks the latest chapter in a saga that began on July 3, when France’s financial regulator, the DNCCG, initially denied Monaco entry into the country’s professional competitions, citing insufficient guarantees around the club’s economic viability and a lack of clarity surrounding its proposed takeover. Monaco appealed that decision and was granted additional time to finalise its restructuring plan and submit further financial documentation. Despite reports suggesting growing optimism around the revised takeover package in the days that followed, the Appeals Chamber ultimately upheld the original ruling, leaving Monaco excluded from both the Betclic ÉLITE and the second-tier Élite 2 competition for the 2026-27 season.
Central to Monaco’s proposed takeover remains former NBA All-Star Jamal Mashburn, whose American-led investment group had put forward a projected operating budget of between €10 million and €12.5 million. The DNCCG had deemed that plan too fragile without stronger financial backing, prompting Monaco to work on strengthening its guarantees and demonstrating the group’s capacity to sustainably finance the club going forward.
The stakes extend well beyond administrative status. Monaco, which had operated with one of the largest budgets in European basketball before its financial troubles intensified, has already been moved from the EuroLeague to the EuroCup following five consecutive EuroLeague playoff appearances, and has seen several key players depart the club over the offseason.
Despite the setback, Monaco reaffirmed its intention to keep fighting for its place, stating it remains fully committed to exploring all legal avenues available under French sports law while continuing its restructuring process alongside its institutional partners. As things stand, the club remains excluded from both professional divisions of French basketball for the coming season, with its immediate future now resting on the outcome of the CNOSF’s conciliation process.