The 68-year-old Roux, who retired after 43 years as Auxerre coach two years ago, had been set to make a comeback in charge of Lens.

But the LFP confirmed on Wednesday that the two-year contract signed three weeks ago had been declared invalid by their legal commission because Roux was aged over 65 years, the age limit allowed by the professional football charter.

Roux said that he was not surprised by the decision and insisted that "justice would be done before the CNOSF".

"I'd been warned that the legal commission is a body whose bible is the football charter and who work bizarrely outside the law. I knew at this stage it would be no. So we'll see what happens."

Roux is one of the best-known figures in French football as much for his managerial skills as his outspoken comments and television punditry.

He took unfashionable Auxerre out of the second division to win the French league title in 1996 along with four French Cup triumphs in 1993, 1996, 2003 and 2005.

Against the odds the club also reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League in 1997.

Roux had been set to replace Francis Gillot who resigned after a poor end to the season which saw Lens blow their chances of playing in next season's Champions League.