By Andrew Warshaw
May 7 – One of the most drawn-out sagas of recent months was resolved today when Queens Park Rangers escaped a points deduction despite being found guilty of breaking strict third-party ownership rules.
The verdict by an independent four-man tribunal means the London club have been confirmed as winners of the Championship title, gaining promotion to the Premier League.
Rangers were found guilty of two of the seven charges they faced over the registration of Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Faurlin in 2009.
They had been left sweating on their status as they entered today’s final game of the current campaign but can now take their place in the top flight of English football next season.
Rangers had denied all seven of the charges facing them.
A Football Association statement read: “The Regulatory Commission hearing charges brought by The FA against Queens Park Rangers FC wish to announce that although two of the charges have been found to be proved there will be no points deduction made from Queens Park Rangers FC in this season or the next.”
The FA had been investigating the case since September, when Rangers first asked for permission to buy out the third party that owned the economic rights of Faurlin, signed for £3.5 million ($5.7 million) in July 2009.
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