&w=3840&q=100)
Crystal Palace relegated to Conference League after losing CAS appeal against UEFA
Crystal Palace players celebrate with the FA Cup trophy after defeating Manchester City in the final at London's Wembley Stadium. Reuters
GENEVA: Crystal Palace lost its appeal at sport's highest court on Monday against demotion to the third-tier Conference League for breaching UEFA rules on club ownership with American investor John Textor.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its judges dismissed the English cup winner's request to stay in the more lucrative second-tier Europa League in a case that also involved Premier League rival Nottingham Forest and French club Lyon.
Forest and Lyon are confirmed taking entries directly into the Europa League in September and Palace must start in the Conference League qualifying playoff round next week. Palace was drawn last week to play Fredrikstad of Norway or Midtjylland of Denmark on Aug. 21 and Aug. 28.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Palace has become a victim in a complex case — which developed last month when Lyon avoided mandatory relegation in France for financial turmoil — that focused attention on long-standing UEFA rules being tested by more overseas investment in European soccer, especially from the United States.
More from Football
UEFA demoted Palace because Textor had a 43% ownership stake last season while also owning Lyon. Palace missed a March deadline set by UEFA to solve the potential issue.
CAS said its judges decided Textor 'was a board member with decisive influence over both clubs at the time of UEFA's assessment date.'
The panel of three judges 'considered that the UEFA Regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date,' the court said in a statement.
The case proceeded despite Textor selling his stake in Palace last month to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, reportedly for at least $220 million. Johnson joins Palace chairman Steve Parish and fellow Americans Josh Harris and David Blitzer as partners and directors of the south London club.
Unlike Palace, Forest and Lyon remain part of multi-club ownership networks though do not currently conflict with UEFA rules for entry to the next editions of European competitions. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis also has Greek title holder Olympiakos which plays in the Champions League this season.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Palace qualified on merit for the second-tier Europa League by winning the English FA Cup against Manchester City in May — a first major trophy in the club's 120-year history.
The threat of UEFA sanctions for breaching multi-club ownership rules — drafted more than 25 years ago to protect the integrity of European competitions — cast a shadow over Palace's offseason celebrations and preparations for this season.
At Wembley Stadium on Sunday, some Palace fans displayed the slogan 'UEFA Mafia' ahead of the game against Liverpool in the season opener between the cup winner and league champion. Palace lifted another trophy by winning a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw, less than 24 hours before a big loss at court.
UEFA has repeatedly warned about the growing trend for investors to take stakes or full ownership in multiple clubs in different countries, and the potential threats to the integrity of games and the transfer market.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Textor is among a slew of investors from the United States buying into the multi-billion dollar European soccer industry in recent years.
He has been an increasingly controversial figure in global soccer, also owning Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgium's Molenbeek while being linked with a failed bid to buy Everton.
If Palace advances to the Conference League's main phase, it will play just six guaranteed games against mostly lower-ranked opponents between September and December.
Forest and Lyon will play eight Europa League games through January with the potential to earn tens of millions of euros (dollars) more in prize money from UEFA.
While Palace will be among the favorites to win the Conference League title that Chelsea won last season, the sporting and financial demotion risks affecting its transfer market activity this month. Star players Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze, both England national-team regulars, are targets for wealthier rivals.
Palace is the third club to lose at CAS in recent weeks in challenges to the multi-club ownership rules which now routinely create offseason uncertainty in European soccer because of investors' wide-ranging ambitions. Forest and Lyon also had faced compliance issues.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
UEFA previously removed two clubs from the Conference League lineup: Drogheda from Ireland and FC DAC 14 of Slovakia.
Marinakis had formally stepped back from controlling Forest in April when it seemed the two-time European Cup winner might join Olympiakos and qualify for the Champions League with a top-five finish in the Premier League. Forest placed seventh, earned an initial Conference League entry and that let Marinakis retake full control.
Lyon, which placed sixth in France's Ligue 1, has been in financial turmoil during Textor's ownership. It was able to enter the Europa League only after being reprieved on appeal last month from mandatory relegation to the second tier by the French soccer regulator.
Textor stepped down as Lyon president and was replaced by American businesswoman Michele Kang.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
8 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Zverev finishes overnight job at Cincinnati Open
Former champion Alexander Zverev polished off a weather-hit third-round victory at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday, winning the final four points of a 6-4, 6-4 win over Brandon Nakashima before weather again disrupted play. HT Image The entire one-game exercise, with 2021 Cincy winner Zverev leading 6-4, 5-4 when play resumed, took less than two minutes, with the third seed set for a later fourth-round encounter against Toronto finalist Karen Khachanov. Women's third seed Iga Swiatek and men's seventh seed Holger Rune both booked quarter-final berths before afternoon showers struck. Wimbledon champion Swiatek beat Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3, overcoming 33 unforced errors in a 95-minute victory. Cincinnati is one of only two 1000-level events where the former world number one has not reached a final, along with Canada. She clinched her spot in the last eight with a winner into the empty court, reaching a third straight quarter-final in the US Open tuneup event. "I wanted to be more solid than in my last match," Swiatek said. "I'm happy with the level of my focus and the consistency. "It was a good match for sure. Not easy conditions as well, super humid, so I'm happy that I didn't let this affect me." Rune advanced as 2024 finalist Frances Tiafoe retired with lower back pain with Denmark's Rune up 6-4, 3-1. The match was a re-run of a quarter-final here a year ago, won by the American who went on to fall in the final to Jannik Sinner. Tiafoe was treated for his back problem, but did not seem to lead to improvement as Rune gained control. A shirtless Tiafoe walked dejectedly off court, carrying only a pair of shoes while an official carted away his massive tennis bag. Rune, bothered this season by his own injury worries,secured his 100th career hard-court win and his first defeat of a top 20 opponent since he beat Carlos Alcaraz in the Barclona final in April. "I had a little slow start but I came back quickly and increased my intensity a lot," Rune said. "I was moving the ball around well, in the middle of the first set I started to play well. "It's never nice to finish this way, but I'm happy with my level. I felt something was not right with him after I broke in the first set . "I tried to move him around as much as possible, I wish him the best possible recovery." Magda Linette broke new ground, reaching the fourth round at Cincinnati for the first time with a 7-6 , 3-6, 6-3 upset of fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula. The 40th-ranked Pole had never won a set from the American, who was runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in Cincy last year. The pair returned to finish the contest halted the night before with the match level at one set ach. Pegula was broken for 3-5 as a shot clipped the top of the net and rolled back onto her side. Linette finished the match moments later with a service winner. "I'm really appreciating this win," Linette said. "It feels so good, I've lost so many tough matches on this court." str/bb This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Europe finally embraces air conditioning, amid heat waves
As Europe sweats through another summer of record-high temperatures, much of the continent is undergoing a rapid and often tense transformation. Once seen as an American excess or Mediterranean necessity, air conditioning is becoming a fixture of life in places where it was long considered a luxury or even unwelcome. The shift reflects a new climate reality: Extreme heat is no longer rare across much of Europe. It's increasingly the new norm. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Europe might not be prepared to cope. Power grids - many designed for milder climates - are already under strain. On the hottest days, electricity demand spikes and often outpaces what renewables can supply. Governments are now facing a tough question: how to keep their countries cool without driving up emissions or triggering blackouts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Best Method for a Flat Stomach After 50 (It's Genius!) Lulutox Undo The evolution is apparent in France's Medoc region, where the city of Bordeaux hit a record-high 41.6C (106.9F) this week. Historic buildings like the Chateau Monbrison - a centuries-old wine estate - have been forced to adapt. This spring, the owners installed air conditioning - discreet Mitsubishi Compact+ units mounted against the exposed stone walls to preserve the chateau's traditional charm. Live Events The trend tracks across Europe. Cooling systems, once reserved for the most scorched parts of Italy and Spain, are an increasingly common sight further north, in places like the Netherlands and the UK. Residential AC purchases have doubled in Europe since 2010, according to Daikin Industries , one of the continent's biggest manufacturers. Electronics marketplace Galaxus recently reported record sales in Germany and Austria, and Samsung Electronics Co. is boosting its training budget in Europe for AC installations by an average of 10% each year. France has now overtaken Italy and Spain as the fastest-growing air conditioning market in Europe for Hitachi . Household AC penetration there rose to 25% by 2020, from 14% in 2016, the company said. By 2035, about half of French homes are expected to have a unit. The boom in business is anchored by a troubling fact: Europe is warming at twice the global average. Cooling degree days - or how often and how intensely buildings require cooling - have more than tripled in Paris over the past two decades, according to data from Eurostat. France's capital now experiences heat comparable to Barcelona in the late 1990s. Berlin's temperatures mirror those historically recorded in Turin. And the climate in Brussels resembles what parts of Croatia were like 25 years ago. Even countries long considered too cold for cooling are changing their ways. The market for air conditioning in Scandinavia, once tiny, is registering measurable growth. "Cooling used to be a luxury," said Simon Pezzutto, a researcher who has tracked cooling demand in Europe for over a decade. Today, "it's a commodity of primary necessity." Governments are searching for a path forward. Austria's latest national energy plan explicitly cites rising cooling demand as a risk to grid stability. France, too, has warned of future peaks during the summer because of unchecked AC use. These aren't theoretical concerns. As a heat wave gripped southern Europe in June, electricity grids in Italy buckled, leading to blackouts in several regions. "That synchronized spike in demand - sometimes compressed into a matter of hours - puts immense pressure on national grids," said Isabella Nardini, Manager of International Affairs at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies. Part of the problem relates to consumer preferences. Many shoppers are opting for small, portable units, which are more affordable and easy to install, but less energy-efficient than other models. Globally, the International Energy Agency says that space cooling already accounts for 10% of electricity consumption in buildings, and Europe's share is only expected to rise. In response, fossil fuel plants - especially gas and coal - are increasingly fired up to meet surging demand. "Rising air conditioning use is propping up fossil fuel generation during times when renewables underperform," said Sabrina Kernbichler, lead power analyst at Energy Aspects. Even if Europe's needs are met, adapting the continent's aging building stock poses another logistical challenge. Many older homes were designed to retain heat. That's an advantage in winter, but a problem in today's longer, hotter summers. Every year, only about 1% of buildings are renovated.
India Today
36 minutes ago
- India Today
US Open: Venus Williams gets a wildcard at 45, oldest singles player since 1981
Venus Williams will make her return to Grand Slam tennis at the U.S. Open after a two-year absence, receiving a wild-card invitation on Wednesday to compete in singles at Flushing Meadows at age American will be the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards was 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis already had been given a wild-card entry by the US Tennis Association for next week's mixed doubles competition. Singles matches begin in New York on Aug. She is the owner of seven major singles championships — including at the US Open in 2000 and 2001 — along with another 14 in women's doubles, all won with her younger sister, Serena, plus two in mixed doubles. Serena retired with 23 Slam singles trophies after playing at the 2022 US older Williams last participated in a Grand Slam tournament at the 2023 US Open, losing in the first round. She hasn't won a singles match there since Williams came back to the tour last month at the DC Open for her first match anywhere in 16 months, a reporter asked whether that would be a one-time thing or if there were plans for other tournaments.'I'm just here for now, and who knows?' she replied then. 'Maybe there's more. ... But at the moment, I'm focused just on this. I haven't played in a year. There is no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things. I definitely feel I'll play well. I'm still the same player. I'm a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand.'Last year, Williams had surgery to remove uterine fibroids and missed most of the season. In Washington this July, she competed for the first time since March 2024 at the Miami Open and became the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova was 47 at Wimbledon in 2004; Williams also won a doubles match at the DC the process, Williams drew a ton of attention for her tennis, yes, but also for letting the world know she's engaged to an Italian actor and for her half-joking comments about needing to get back on court to get covered by health insurance.'I love Venus. We're friends. I didn't really know this was something she was still wanting to do. But I also didn't know it was something she didn't want to do,' said Mark Ein, the chairman of the hard-court tournament in Washington. 'I was surprised. And it was a wonderful surprise.'Williams also entered the Cincinnati Open via a wild card last week, exiting in the first round of New York, she will play in the Aug. 19-20 mixed doubles tournament with Reilly Opelka, a 27-year-old American who used to be ranked in the top women getting singles wild cards for the US Open are Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn, plus France's Caroline Garcia — who'll be playing in her last Grand Slam tournament before retirement — and Australia's Talia wild cards went to Americans Brandon Holt, Nishesh Basavareddy, Tristan Boyer, Emilio Nava, Stefan Dostanic and Darwin Blanch, and France's Valentin Royer and Australia's Tristan Schoolkate.- EndsTrending Reel
