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Crystal Palace break their silence with scathing statement after LOSING European appeal against their demotion to the Conference League: ‘Sporting merit is rendered meaningless’

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Crystal Palace have claimed ‘sporting merit has been rendered meaningless’ after their appeal against their demotion to the Conference League was deemed unsuccessful on Monday. 

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed that the FA Cup winners would be playing in the third-tier competition this season at the conclusion of a convoluted legal case regarding multi-club ownership.

The Eagles were demoted from the Europa League earlier this summer, when UEFA ruled that they had breached their rules.

Outraged Palace officials appealed the decision in a gruelling, 10-hour session at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne on Friday.

CAS lawyers had promised to hand down a verdict by close of play on Monday. And they have subsequently sided with the governing body, in what is a devastating blow to the FA Cup winners and their fans and a decision that could cost Palace up to £20m in lost revenue. It is also likely to be welcomed at the City Ground, with the verdict confirmation that Nottingham Forest will take Palace’s place.

The Eagles had attempted to have their demotion overturned at the expense of either Forest or Lyon.

Crystal Palace have broken their silence after losing their appeal at CAS on Monday

The Eagles qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup but have been demoted due to multi-club ownership rules

The Eagles qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup but have been demoted due to multi-club ownership rules

CRYSTAL PALACE STATEMENT FOLLOWING CAS VERDICT

At a time when we should be celebrating our victory in the Community Shield at Wembley, the decision by UEFA and followed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport shows that sporting merit is rendered meaningless.

When we won the FA Cup against Manchester City on that momentous day in May, our manager and players earned the right to play Europa League football.

We have been denied that opportunity.

It appears that certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privilege and power.

This growing and unhealthy influence has shattered the hopes and dreams of Crystal Palace supporters, and does not bode well for aspirational teams all over Europe competing to progress when rules and sanctions are unevenly applied in the most flagrant way.

Multi-club structures hide behind the charade of a “blind trust” while clubs such as ours, who have no connection to another club whatsoever, are prevented from playing in the same competition.

To compound the injustice, clubs that appear to have huge informal arrangements with each other are also allowed to participate and even possibly play against each other.

While we respect the CAS tribunal members, the process is designed to severely restrict and, in our case, make it almost impossible to receive a fair hearing.

The denial of all disclosure requests to obtain correspondence between the relevant parties, the refusal to allow witness testimony from those involved, and the general lack of formality and respect for law mean decisions cannot be properly challenged, leading to pre-determined outcomes.

UEFA’s decision has wider implications for the governance of the sport. A combination of poorly conceived regulations and their unequal application means our brilliant fans will be deprived of the chance to watch this team compete in the Europa League for the first time in our history.

This should be a turning point for football.

UEFA must fulfil its mandate to pass coherent rules which are properly communicated and applied, with reasonable cure periods to resolve uncertainty and consistent sanctions, treating all clubs equally with a proper appeal process.

The European Court of Justice has made it clear that rulings similar to this will be under greater scrutiny from national courts in future. Only then will fairness and due process be granted to every team.

Although we continue to take legal advice on the next steps, we will compete in the Conference League with the same determination and will to win that characterises this incredible club.

And in a 407-word statement released on Tuesday, Palace claimed they have been unfairly ‘denied’ a place in the Europa League and that ‘certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privelige and power.’

‘This growing and unhealthy influence has shattered the hopes and dreams of Crystal Palace supporters, and does not bode well for aspirational teams all over Europe competing to progress when rules and sanctions are unevenly applied in the most flagrant way.

‘Multi-club structures hide behind the charade of a “blind trust” while clubs such as ours, who have no connection to another club whatsoever, are prevented from playing in the same competition.

‘To compound the injustice, clubs that appear to have huge informal arrangements with each other are also allowed to participate and even possibly play against each other.’

Palace were dropped into the third tier competition after a UEFA panel found that US businessman John Textor, whose Eagles Holdings company held a 43 per cent stake in the club, was in a position of influence at Selhurst Park. 

His firm also owned French outfit Lyon, which qualified for the same competition. Lyon took priority, with only one MCO club allowed in, because they finished higher in their domestic league than FA Cup winners Palace.

Textor, who subsequently sold his stake in Palace, was not present at the hearing.

Both Forest and Lyon also had legal representatives at CAS.

Palace argued that while Textor’s firm held a 43 per cent stake in the club, it only afforded him 25 per cent of the voting rights and that chairman Steve Parish, along with silent partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, called the shots with their 75 per cent. As such, they said, Textor had no influence at Selhurst Park.

They also claimed that double standards were in play, stating that sides in the European Club Association (ECA) were told that those with potential MCO issues could go beyond UEFA’s March 1 deadline to submit their paperwork.

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