UEFA suspend Bursaspor & Gaziantepspor from European Competition

2012-05-30 04:45:28

UEFA have suspended Bursaspor and Gaziantepspor from European competitions on a one-year ban.

The shock decision comes just hours after it was revealed that Beşiktaş would also be suspended from Europe on one-year ban due to the club's ongoing financial problems.

The European governing body found Bursaspor guilty of late payment of transfer fees for Collins Mbesuma, fined the club €200,000 and gave a one-year suspension ruling the club out of the Europa League next season.

Bursaspor legal advisor and board member Öztürk Yazıcı told reporters following the decision, "UEFA have given us a one-year ban from European competition over our ongoing dispute with former player Collins Mbesuma.

"We have appealed to The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and will wait 15-20 days for a reply, the rulings are the result of new UEFA regulations.

"I'd like to stress however, that our case has nothing to with Beşiktaş and is about a completely different issue," he stated.

Yazıcı followed with a scathing criticism of the UEFA proceedings, "Bursaspor paid back everything that was owed with interest.

"This decision makes no legal sense, we have been cleared of all involvement, it's a ridiculous decision and we feel that were being used as scapegoats to punish the country as a whole.

"I'd like someone to explain exactly why we have been given a one-year suspension, we don't have any debts to anyone, this is an old case from 2008, how can a club without any debts be punished under these rulings?" Yazıcı said.