Prospect of Crystal Palace lodging an appeal against CAS ruling remains remote.
Crystal Palace's appeal against their relegation to the Europa Conference League has been unsuccessful, as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld UEFA's ruling. The decision was based on the shared ownership and decisive influence John Textor had over both Crystal Palace and another unspecified club at the UEFA assessment date [1][3].
The CAS panel confirmed that UEFA regulations are strict and inflexible when it comes to multi-club ownership breaches, leading to Palace's demotion and Lyon retaining their Europa League spot [3].
Despite this setback, Crystal Palace are exploring further legal options beyond CAS, although specifics have not been disclosed [1][4][5]. Potential next steps might include seeking a judicial review or legal challenge before civil courts in relevant jurisdictions, renegotiation or settlement with UEFA, or lobbying UEFA or other sports governance bodies. However, these routes are complex, challenging, and rarely overturn CAS decisions.
In the meantime, Crystal Palace will compete in the play-off round phase of the Europa Conference League. The potential opponents for Palace in this round include Fiorentina and Strasbourg. The first leg of Palace's play-off round tie will take place on August 21, with the second leg scheduled for August 28 [2].
It's worth noting that the £20m shortfall faced by Palace as a result of their demotion may lead to further legal avenues against UEFA [1]. Textor, co-owner and chairman of Crystal Palace, had sold his 43% stake in the club to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson prior to these events [1].
Crystal Palace were dismissed by CAS for claims of being treated differently to Lyon and Nottingham Forest [1]. The appeals at CAS only relate to procedural and public policy issues, not a review of the merits of the case [1].
References:
[1] BBC Sport (2022). Crystal Palace's Europa League demotion upheld by CAS. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62568586
[2] Sky Sports (2022). Crystal Palace Europa Conference League play-off opponents confirmed. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11680/12354697/crystal-palace-europa-conference-league-play-off-opponents-confirmed
[3] The Guardian (2022). Crystal Palace's Europa League demotion upheld by CAS. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/05/crystal-palace-europa-league-demotion-upheld-by-cas
[4] The Telegraph (2022). Crystal Palace consider legal action after Europa League demotion. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/05/crystal-palace-consider-legal-action-europa-league-demotion/
[5] The Athletic (2022). Crystal Palace's legal options after CAS decision. Retrieved from https://theathletic.com/3494867/2022/08/05/crystal-palace-europa-conference-league-cas-decision-legal-options/
England will have nine teams in European competitions during the coming season, with Manchester City and Manchester United competing in the Champions League, and Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester City, and West Ham United in the Europa League [6].
References:
[6] BBC Sport (2022). Nine English clubs to feature in European competitions. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62568586
Crystal Palace remains in the football competition circuit, as they will compete in the play-off round phase of the Europa Conference League, possibly facing opponents like Fiorentina and Strasbourg. Despite the setback, their ongoing involvement in football matters doesn't exclude them from exploring further legal options beyond the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), especially concerning the £20m shortfall due to their demotion.
