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FC Porto players celebrate a goal against UD Leiria in February 2008. Portuguese sides Benfica and Vitoria Guimaraes have lost their appeal against UEFA´s decision to allow FC Porto to play in next seaons´s Champions League despite a match-fixing scandal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has said. |
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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) - Portuguese sides Benfica and Vitoria Guimaraes have lost their appeal against UEFA's decision to allow FC Porto to play in next seaons's Champions League despite a match-fixing scandal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has said.
Benfica and Vitoria filed an appeal at the Lausanne-based court on June 26, after UEFA earlier that month overturned their own decision to ban Porto, the 2004 continental champions, because of a procedural error.
UEFA barred Porto from next season's competition on May 9 after the disciplinary commission of the Portuguese league found them guilty and fined the club 150,000 euros, docked them six points and suspended the club's president Jorge Pinto da Costa for two years for their part in events dating back to 2004.
Porto's exclusion would have meant third-placed Vitoria qualified directly for the group stages and Benfica had a berth in the third qualifying round.
The costs of the case will be split evenly between the two clubs and UEFA, CAS said in a statement.
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Discuss- Add comment
nelsonm2110 July 15th, 2008 14:34
Pity that UEFA reversed their decision becuase it would have been interesting to see how Vitoria would have fared in the group stage of the Champions League next season.DaJohnner July 18th, 2008 06:51
typical...Porto are the most corrupt team and always get away with it.