The English FA Cup winner Crystal Palace must not play in the Europa League. The International Sports Court CAS dismissed the club from London.
On Sunday, Crystal Palace in Wembley won the Supercup after penalty shootout against FC Liverpool. The celebration was over on Monday afternoon – the club reached the CAS’s judgment, the International Sports Court. The CAS confirmed the exclusion from the Europa League despite sporting qualifications.
The European Football Union (UEFA) had made this decision because Olympique Lyon had also qualified for the second most important European Cup competition-and the US investor John Textor held shares in both clubs at the decisive time.
Instead, Nottingham Forest takes up the starting point in the Europa League.
Cas sees “no scope”
The CAS announced on Monday that the Textor had been determined at the trial last Friday “Had shares in both clubs and was a member of the board at the time of the UEFA rating, which had a decisive influence on both clubs”.
The UEFA regulations are “clear” and leave “No scope”. Crystal Palace was not treated unfairly to Lyon and Nottingham.
Textor sold shares too late
John Textor was the largest shareholder of Palace and owner of Lyon with his investment company Eagle Football Holdings. He recently approved a deal to sell his Palace shares, but the UEFA believes that this step was too late.
Regulations at the “Multi-Club Ownership”
Because the French crisis club Lyon missed the forced relegation, the UEFA had to make a decision, keyword: “Multi-Club-Owership” (Ownership or participation of an owner in several clubs). The UEFA rules state that clubs are not allowed to start in the same competition if “A natural or a legal person over more than one club in the competition exercises decisive control”. Among other things, this is to prevent games from being manipulated.
“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.
Lyon preferred for the Europa League because the ex-champion in the league had achieved the better placement (6th) as a Palace (12th). In contrast, the London appointments trained by team manager Oliver Glasner had lodged the CAS – without success, as is now clear.
Palace also has to go to the playoffs
Bitter for the club: Palace now has to survive the playoffs in the Conference League. The opponent is the loser from the Europa League qualification between Fredrikstad FK from Norway and FC Midtjylland from Denmark. The first leg ended 3-1 for Midtjylland.