The leaders of the Mulhouse Scorpions announced on Wednesday that their club, present in the Magnus League since 2017, had been placed in compulsory liquidation. Next season, the Alsatians will return to Division 3, the lowest level of hockey. “ After an exemplary sporting season and unfailing commitment from the team […]the report is there, the adventure of the club unfortunately stops in Synerglace Ligue Magnussaid the Mulhouse club in a press release. The management will have until the end believed to be able to get the club out of this outcome that no one wanted. But the step was too high. »
The club had already experienced a liquidation and a demotion in D3 in 2005, only three months after winning its only title of champion of France. For several seasons, the Scorpions, closely followed by the French Federation, had been experiencing financial difficulties. They had started the season with four penalty points and a fine of 15,000 euros, imposed by the National Commission for Monitoring and Management Control (CNSCG).
“The Magnus League nevertheless continues to structure itself and increase its popularity with record attendances”
The French Hockey Federation
“Certainly, we will not tell anyone, it has been several seasons already that we have been systematically challenged by the CNSCG with fines and point penalties at each start of the Championship. Since 2018, the club was potentially in cessation of payments and without the financial istance of partners and historical shareholders, the adventure would have stopped long before »acknowledged the club in its press release.
Penalty points at the start of the season did not prevent Mulhouse from qualifying for the play-offs, where the Scorpions were eliminated by Grenoble in the quarter-finals. “ We regret this situation which impacts local ice hockey but also the entire Synerglace Ligue Magnus, which continues to structure itself and increase its popularity with record attendance for the 2022-202 season.3 »reacted for its part the French Hockey Federation.
This will soon decide on the team called to replace Mulhouse in the Magnus League, where 12 clubs are in the running. The name of Marseille, which evolved at the 2nd French level, circulates. The Spartans of the Marseille club finished poorly ranked this season (11th out of 14), but have the largest ice rink in France (5,600 seats) and a large population base.