Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas was on Tuesday slapped with a two-match ban by the French Football Federation’s (FFF) ethics committee after criticising a match referee on Twitter.

The outspoken Aulas will be suspended for two Ligue 1 games at Reims on April 24 and Evian on May 2.

“Although the media seem informed, I have neither the reasons nor the CNE (ethics committee) decision, (yet) the sentence had already been announced by AFP!” said Aulas on Twitter about an hour after the FFF’s press release which did not specify the reasons for the two-game ban.

Aulas was punished after his remarks concerning referee Clement Turpin following Lyon’s 1-1 draw at home to Paris Saint-Germain on February 8.

Lyon currently sit just one point behind leaders PSG.

Aulas accused Turpin of depriving Lyon of two penalties, not sending off Edinson Cavani and allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to retake a penalty which had been blocked by goalie Anthony Lopes, because of Samuel Umtiti’s encroachment into the box.

The penalty levelled the score with PSG sharing the spoils in Lyon.

“Congratulations to all my players and this young Lyon team ! The series of refereeing errors and / or refereeing interpretations is appalling !” Aulas tweeted.

“Turpin’s refereeing was favourable to Paris,” Aulas also told RMC radio as he defended his frequent use of the social media network.

“On Twitter I play my role of president,” he said. “I try to put my team in the best position. This means defending the team, protecting the supporters and sometimes putting those who insult me in their place. I’m sometimes ironic, I joke, but I am never insulting,” he insisted.