By Andrew Warshaw
August 29 – UEFA is set to decide tomorrow whether to kick Swiss side Sion out of the Europa League and replace them with Celtic in a case that has served as a dangerous precedent for European football.
FIFA banned Sion from signing players over two transfer window periods as punishment for luring Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary to break his contract with Al-Ahly in 2008.
Sion responded by signing six new players during the close season despite the ban being upheld by both the Swiss League and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The club had been unable to use them initially but forced through a local civil court ruling allowing them to field the so-called “Sion Six”, resulting in the Swiss league backing down under threat of legal action.
FIFA statutes, however, ban any football-related disputes from being taken to the civil courts.
Federations that fail to enforce this can ultimately be suspended.
The case now looks set to come to a head as UEFA’s Disciplinary Panel concludes whether to ignore the regional court ruling and throw Sion out of Europe for fielding ineligible players.
That would reopen the door for Celtic, who were eliminated 3-1 on aggregate by the Swiss side in the pre-group qualifying stage of the competition but could now be reinstated, saving Scottish football from total humiliation.
The Glasgow club filed a complaint to European football’s governing body in the wake of the 0-0 first leg against the Swiss side and again after their Europa League exit.
UEFA President Michel Platini last week stated Sion were “in clear violation” of the ban, while general secretary Gianni Infantino insisted the local court ruling had no bearing on his organisation’s decision making.
“Civil courts have not been set up to deal with the sporting world,” he said.
Already this season, Luzern have requested that they be awarded a 3-0 win after drawing 1-1 in the league with Sion, who have become footballing pariahs in a test case that has pitted civil courts against sporting bodies, a major concern for governing authorities throughout the game.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734830387labto1734830387ofdlr1734830387owedi1734830387sni@w1734830387ahsra1734830387w.wer1734830387dna1734830387
Related stories
August 2011: Celtic set to be put back in to Europa League
August 2011: FIFA says FC Sion’s ban on fielding new signings must be enforced