Bursaspor - CAS rescind UEFA European competition ban

2012-06-22 03:01:57

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rescinded the one-year ban handed out to Bursaspor by UEFA.

Bursaspor are no longer suspended from European competition however, CAS has given the club a €250000 fine.

The European governing body had found Bursaspor guilty of late payment of transfer fees for Collins Mbesuma, fined the club €200,000 and gave a one-year suspension which would have ruled 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.

Bursaspor qualified for the Europa League as runners-up in the Turkish Cup final.