Crystal Palace Blasts UEFA Over Europa League Ban Following Failed Appeal

LONDON, England — Crystal Palace has publicly condemned UEFA’s decision to remove them from the upcoming Europa League season, following an unsuccessful appeal against the ban. The Eagles earned their place in the competition after winning the FA Cup last season, but complications arose due to a shared ownership issue with Lyon, both of which claimed John Textor as a mutual part-owner.

According to UEFA regulations, clubs cannot compete in the same tournament if they share someone with significant influence. Palace attempted to argue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport that Textor’s absence from day-to-day operations should exempt them from the conflict. However, their appeal was denied, leading to their demotion to the Conference League.

“At a time when we should be celebrating our victory in the Community Shield at Wembley, the decision by UEFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport shows that sporting merit is rendered meaningless,” the club said in a statement. They criticized the multi-club rules, which they believe favor certain teams. “Multi-club structures hide behind the charade of a ‘blind trust’ while clubs such as ours are prevented from competing fairly,” they added.

The club’s management called for a reform in UEFA’s regulations on multi-club ownership, emphasizing that current rules and their enforcement are unjust. “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,” the statement continued.

Crystal Palace highlighted that other clubs, such as Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, have navigated similar regulations successfully without penalty. Palace concluded their statement by urging UEFA to create coherent, fair rules regarding multi-club ownership to treat all teams equally.