CAS backs UEFA ruling, demotes C’Palace to Conference League

Crystal Palace have lost their fight to stay in the Europa League after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld UEFA’s decision to demote the club over breaches of multi-club ownership rules.

In a ruling announced on Monday, CAS confirmed on its website that Palace will play in the UEFA Conference League this season, with their Europa League place going to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.

The dispute centred on American businessman John Textor, founder of Eagle Football Holdings, who CAS found “had shares in CPFC and OL and was a Board member with decisive influence over both clubs at the time of UEFA’s assessment date.” Olympique Lyonnais (OL) have also qualified for the Europa League.

Palace, who qualified for the competition by winning the FA Cup in May and lifted the Community Shield on Sunday, had sought to overturn UEFA’s 11 July decision and have Forest or Lyon excluded instead.

But CAS ruled “the UEFA Regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date.”

An in-person hearing was held in Lausanne on August 8, attended by Palace chairman Steve Parish, who had warned before the verdict: “If we don’t get the right outcome, then we will have to look if there’s any steps after that.”

The expedited case took just two and a half weeks from appeal to decision. CAS said a full award with reasons will be published unless the parties request confidentiality.

The ruling brings to an end Palace’s short-lived Europa League dream and hands Forest a European boost ahead of their first league meeting of the season at Selhurst Park on August 24.

Palace, who beat Liverpool to win the Community Shield on Sunday, had qualified for the Europa League by lifting the FA Cup in May.

But Forest will now take their place in the competition, with Palace beginning their European campaign in the Conference League.

Source: Punch