The International Sports Court CAS has confirmed the exclusion of the Irish club Drogheda United from the Conference League. The decision could have further consequences.
“The dream begins”the UEFA wrote with a view to the draw of the first rounds of its European Cup competitions. For a club, the dream is over before: Drogheda United from Ireland was excluded from the Conference League, the draw on Tuesday takes place without the club.
The reason: Drogheda United is owned by the Trivela Group, the same applies to Silkeborg IF – a case of “Multi -Clup Ownership”. The rules of the UEFA say above all that never “A natural or legal person on more than one club may exercise crucial control”. With these rules, the integrity of the competition is intended to ensure if several clubs have the same owner.
“Multi-Club Ownership”
“Multi-Club Ownership” is the possession or participation of an owner in several clubs. The possible advantages for the owners and risks for competition go far beyond suspicion of agreed games. Transfer within a network of clubs of multiple participation could be made at prices that meet the needs of investors – and not the actual market values. The time can also be selected. In this way, taxes can be avoided or financial fair play rules can be observed at least on paper. Clubs can be degraded into farm teams that serve the tip of their pyramid. The identity of your clubs can be lost for fans.
Drogheda United surprised by new deadline
In the past two seasons, the UEFA allowed clubs several times in the same competitions that have or had the same owners. The requirement was always either a fundamental change in the situation or parking of shares on trust accounts in order not to be able to determine several clubs at the same time.
The UEFA headquarters in Nyon in Switzerland
In the transfer of the shares to trust accounts, the UEFA changed the deadline: this must take place on March 1st a season and not as before on June 3. Drogheda United was ignorant, but failed with this reasoning in front of the International Sports Court CAS. “We do not agree with this decision. We consider it unfair. the club shared: “Nevertheless, we take responsibility. And we are sorry.”
The “Multi-Club Ownership” phenomenon has been expanding for years. In the pre -season, the combination of Manchester City and FC Girona was approved in the Champions League – both were controlled by the City Group from Abu Dhabi at the time, and when it was resolved to fleeting accounts, the period valid at the time. Manchester United and OGC Nice, both of which were controlled by the Ineos chemical group, were allowed to play in the Europa League at the same time after appropriate measures. Even before the 2023/24 season, several clubs were approved in this context.
Crystal Palace with a similar problem
Crystal Palace from the English Premier League also missed the deadline. The victory in the FA Cup now led the club to the Europa League. When the deadline went, Palace was in the table of the Premier League in the table, the cup victory seemed far away.
Selhurst Park, the Crystal Palace stadium
Since the football investor John Textor with his investment group Eagle Football is involved in both Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyon, Palace could also be in trouble. According to “Guardian”, Textor is said to have offered in vain at UEFA to put its 45 percent shares in Palace on a trust account. Since then he has been trying to sell the shares to other co -owners of the club, the newspaper reports.
John Textor, co-owner of Crystal Palace
The situation with the club from Ireland is not immediately comparable. Crystal Palace announced that the textor “has no decisive influence” on the club’s business. If Palace is excluded, Nottingham Forest would move to the Europa League. The decision of the UEFA is still pending in this case.