UEFA has reversed its decision to ban Spanish club Osasuna from participating in next season’s Conference League, following an appeal by the club.
UEFA inspectors had recommended Osasuna’s expulsion from the tournament due to a match-fixing scandal dating back to the end of the 2013-14 La Liga season, which led to the conviction of several former directors in 2020.
Osasuna argued that they were not responsible for the match-fixing and provided new evidence in their defense. After taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Osasuna won by ‘Consent Award,’ a conciliation process between the parties overseen by CAS. UEFA accepted Osasuna’s arguments and concluded that the club was a victim of the events that occurred almost a decade ago.
As a result, UEFA has deemed Osasuna eligible to participate in the current edition of the Conference League. The club will be in the draw for the play-off round on August 7. However, UEFA has also opened disciplinary proceedings against Osasuna for taking the case to an ordinary court outside of CAS.
Osasuna expressed their commitment not to appeal any UEFA punishment and will accept any penalties imposed. Despite the ongoing disciplinary procedure, the club’s participation in the Conference League remains unaffected. Osasuna will now have the opportunity to compete in European competition for the first time since their semi-final run in the 2006-07 UEFA Cup.
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