After AFLE Exit: Firenze Red Lions Make Serious Allegations

The Firenze Red Lions from Italy will no longer be part of the American Football League Europe (AFLE) in the upcoming season.

The team will be replaced by city rivals Guelfi Firenze. However, the switch from the Red Lions to the three-time Italian champions is now causing tension. In an official statement, the ousted Florentines are now making serious allegations against the league.

Red Lions Criticize AFLE

The Red Lions reportedly received a phone call informing them that they would no longer be part of the league in 2027. No reason was given for this decision.

Furthermore, the franchise accuses the AFLE of having already negotiated with another club from Florence without informing them. They only learned about these discussions through external sources.

"We are well aware that our first season was anything but perfect. We made mistakes, took responsibility for them, and had already been working to address these weaknesses before the upcoming season," the Red Lions wrote in a statement.

"However, we are firmly convinced that such challenges should be addressed through open communication, constructive dialogue, and mutual respect," the team continued.

Change Called "Part of Further Development"

Furthermore, they pointed out that they had specially built up an organization for AFLE operations and invested significant financial and personnel resources. Despite a challenging first season sportingly, they had already been working on improvements for 2027.

According to their own statements, the criticism is expressly not directed against Guelfi Firenze, but against the league's decision-making and communication.

The AFLE had presented the change in its statement as part of the competition's further development.