Latest news with #multiClubOwnership
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Crystal Palace set to launch bombshell challenge to UEFA over contact with Nottingham Forest - over alleged DOUBLE STANDARDS being applied against them
Crystal Palace are expected to demand full disclosure of what they believe are bombshell emails and texts between UEFA and Nottingham Forest – which they believe could 'prove' double standards have been applied over their European demotion. Eagles officials are of the firm view that correspondence exists between the two potentially showing that Forest, unlike Palace, were allowed to extend the March 1 deadline to comply with UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership. To widespread outrage, FA Cup winners Palace were last week demoted from the Europa League to the Europa Conference because they had not taken action to solve issues related to former major shareholder John Textor and his ownership of the French club Lyon by March 1. However, they are convinced that Forest, who have been 'promoted' from the Conference League to take their slot, were given additional time by UEFA. Mail Sport understands that Palace, who will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), will now demand UEFA hand over documents between themselves and Forest on the matter. The view would be that such documents, if they exist, should be presented to a CAS panel, and could potentially result in Palace's reinstatement to the Europa League. Eagles bosses also believe Forest have written to UEFA to express their expectation that Palace should be demoted. The development comes after it emerged that the European Club Association, which effectively runs European football with UEFA, had emailed its member sides to tell them that the March 1 deadline was not sacrosanct. In the email, the existence of which was first reported by the Telegraph, the ECA inform their clubs that UEFA would allow until May 31 for those at-risk to resolve any outstanding issues. Palace believe Hugo Hamon, Head of Finance Strategy and Operations at the ECA, advised those affected on how to set up a 'blind trust' to essentially navigate the rules. Palace say that the only communication from UEFA was sent to a generic email address, and that no reminders were provided. They are not a member of the ECA and so would not have received the additional guidance from the ECA about the deadline. While Forest are not an ECA member, Olympiakos, who are also owned by Evangelos Marinakis, are. It is also understood that UEFA sent communication around the deadline, which was brought forward for last season, to the correct email address but that it was not subsequently acted upon. In late April, beyond the original deadline, Marinakis diluted his control of Forest when it looked by both they and Olympiakos could qualify for the Champions League. As it transpired, such a move was not necessary as Forest faded to end the season in seventh. Textor's company, Eagle Football Holdings, held a 43 per cent stake in Palace, which at the time was more than any other entity. It also owns Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League. Rules state that two clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same competition. In this instance, because Lyon finished higher in their domestic league than Palace, they took the spot. They accused UEFA of being 'morally bankrupt' and called on them to overturn their ruling It is understood that all options, including legal action, remain on the table for Palace, who are currently digesting the written reasons for their demotion which was handed down by UEFA's Club Financial Control Body. CAS have the power to fast-track cases. The draw for the Conference League play-off round, at which stage Palace would enter, is on August 4. When Textor took his stake in Palace, he did not hold shares in any other club. He has now sold Eagle Football Holdings share in the club to US businessman Woody Johnson. Palace say he was never in a position of influence at Selhurst Park and that no intelligence was shared between Palace and any of the other clubs in the group. There is a hope that Palace chairman Steve Parish's relationship with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin may come in handy. Parish flew to UEFA HQ to meet with Ceferin during the Super League crisis when many of Europe's top clubs attempted to set up a breakaway league. Both were united on that subject and Parish has previously expressed his admiration for how Ceferin handled the situation. The Football Association has written to UEFA to outline its support for Palace's case, while a group of Liberal Democrat MPs have asked culture secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene in what they have branded a 'disgraceful' decision by UEFA. Earlier this week, hundreds of Palace supporters marched to Selhurst Park in a protest organised by ultras fan group the Holmesdale Fanatics. They called the decision 'a terrible injustice for both our club and the game of football as a whole'.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The 'email that gives Crystal Palace hope they CAN get back into the Europa League'
Crystal Palace reportedly have a glimmer of hope that UEFA's rules are more flexible than many thought, potentially paving the way for their Europa League entry. The London club are appealing their exile from the competition with the Court of Arbitration for Sport after they were 'demoted' due to UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. As it stands, Palace are set to compete in the Europa Conference League because their former owner John Textor also has a stake in Lyon, who qualified for the Europa League as well. UEFA set a deadline of March 1 for clubs to provide evidence of multi-club ownership restructuring. Essentially, it is banned for a powerful figure like Textor to be a controlling figure at two clubs in the same competition. The American has insisted he did not have a 'decisive influence at Palace' - a claim which is hotly contested. It is a long shot, but The Telegraph reports that clubs received an email last year which suggests that the deadline is actually beyond March 1. The European Club Association (ECA) told numerous multi-club groups in October that the deadline is flexible, and would allow issues to be resolved until May 31, as per The Telegraph. John Textor still missed that deadline but it gives hope that UEFA are more flexible than they have been letting on Textor sold his 43 per cent stake in Palace to Woody Johnson for £190million in June, and resigned from his board leadership role at Lyon in the same months, so missed the more flexible deadline on both of those counts. But according to The Telegraph, the ECA email still gives encouragement to Palace because it suggests that UEFA are more flexible than they are letting on. The ECA declined to comment to The Telegraph. Palace insist the March 31 deadline has only been applied strictly to them - clubs such as Chelsea, Barcelona and Aston Villa have all negotiated fines for financial breaches in recent weeks. In any case, UEFA have told Palace that Textor 'historically' owning a stake in Palace and Lyon is an issue. The Selhurst Park side argue he had no 'decisive influence,' but he did pay off the club's Covid-19 debt and help establish the Palace academy. Textor also passes off Palace's hiring of FA Cup-winning coach Oliver Glasner shortly after he admits he almost gave him the Lyon job as a happy coincidence - and you can read Ian Ladyman's views on that here. Palace won their first major competition, the FA Cup, in May, a tournament they would have had little inkling that they would win back before the March 1 deadline, when they still had four games left to play. Fans launched a flare-fuelled protest against UEFA's decision on Tuesday night, waving a banner which read: 'UEFA. Morally bankrupt. Revoke the ruling now.'
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Is Forest replacing Palace in the Europa League a 'black-and-white' decision?
The Shut Up And Show More Football panel have been discussing Nottingham Forest's ascension to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted to the Conference League for breaching multi-club ownership chairman Steve Parish has described the Uefa decision as "the biggest injustice in the history of football" and confirmed they will be appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), but BBC Radio Nottingham's David Jackson and Colin Fray see the verdict as "black and white" and point the finger at mistakes within the Eagles' hierarchy."There's an appeal coming," Jackson told the podcast."It all seems rather messy - however, it does seem black and white. There's precedent before, there was a rule set, and as cross as the Palace fans are with the Forest ownership and Uefa, you think maybe there should also be anger at Crystal Palace."They could have seen the potential of this coming. They could have put plans in place but didn't and therefore they have missed out.""That's exactly right," added Fray."When you listen to some of the interviews from those involved in Palace, there's almost an acceptance that they have missed this deadline and didn't do something about it when they should have done."John Textor is now trying to sell his shares and that hasn't completely gone through but in any case it doesn't matter because there was a deadline that has been missed. The fact that he is only a 43% shareholder in Crystal Palace doesn't make any difference, it is over Uefa's stipulated limit. It seems there is a black-and-white breach here."I think there is a general feeling Cas is going to kick that appeal out."Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Palace 'dismayed' by Uefa's decision
Crystal Palace say they "are extremely dismayed by Uefa's decision to exclude the club from the Europa League."The Eagles were ordered on Friday to compete in the Conference League by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, could replace FA Cup winners Palace in the Europa a statement, the club said: "It's clear for everyone to see that we are not part of a multi-club operation and never have been. Further with the completion of the sale of Eagles's football's shareholding to Woody Johnson there will be zero possibility of conflict of interest once the competition begins. "We will continue to press our case and work with Uefa to achieve the fair and just outcome so that we may take our rightful place in the Europa League, as well as taking legal advice to consider our options, including an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport."
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Crystal Palace moved from Europa League to Conference League
UEFA has sent Crystal Palace to the Conference League due to its rules on multi-club ownership. Palace qualified for the Europa League with their upset win over Manchester City in the FA Cup, but part-owner John Textor also owns shares in fellow Europa League qualifier Olympique Lyon of France. Advertisement UEFA rules say two clubs with the same owners cannot be entered in the same competition. Textor has since sold his shares in Palace, while Lyon has kept its status in both Ligue 1 and the Europa League. The South London club is expected appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. More to come... UEFA's full statement on Crystal Palace in the Conference League (from The CFCB First Chamber had opened proceedings against Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyonnais due to a potential conflict with the multi-club ownership rule provided for in Article 5 of the UEFA Club Competitions Regulations. Advertisement On 9 July 2025, the appeal instance of the French financial control authority (DNCG) decided not to relegate Olympique Lyonnais to Ligue 2. Consequently, and following an assessment by the CFCB of all the other relevant conditions included in the settlement agreement, Olympique Lyonnais will not be excluded from the 2025/26 UEFA club competitions (see media release of 30 June 2025). Consequently, the CFCB First Chamber pursued the assessment of the documentation submitted by Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace and concluded that the clubs breached, as at 1 March 2025, the multi-club ownership criteria foreseen in Art 5.01 of the UEFA Club Competition Regulations. For this reason, and in accordance with the provisions set in Art. 5.02, 5.03 and 5.04 of the UEFA Club Competitions Regulations, the CFCB First Chamber decided: • To accept Olympique Lyonnais' admission to the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League; and • To reject Crystal Palace's admission to the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League and to accept Crystal Palace's admission to the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League. The present decision may be appealed against before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 of the UEFA Statutes.
