February 22 – Iran’s Esteghlal have lost their appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be reinstated in the AFC Champions League, having been denied entry to the 2022 competition for failure to meet AFC club licensing conditions.
Esteghlal had been kicked out of the Asian Champions League in January by the AFC Entry Control Body after having “not satisfied all of the mandatory criteria”, said the AFC. Also excluded were Persepolis and Gol Gohar Sirjan, a third Iranian team.
Esteghlal were winners of the 1970 and 1991 Asian Club Championship – the forerunner to the Asian Champions League. Persepolis are two-time finalists.
Esteghlal appealed the AFC decision at CAS though neither Persepolis or Gol Gohar Sirjan went to CAS.
Esteghlal were also excluded from the qualifying rounds of the 2007 edition for failing to submit their players’ list on time.
The AFC has increasingly enforced its club licensing rules as it seeks to improve standards and operating practices across the region. Yesterday the AFC announced that it would be phasing in club licensing rules for its Futsal competitions.
AFC Champions League group matches begin in April.
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