CAS uphold Metalist Kharkiv's exclusion from CL on match-fixing charges ahead of Fenerbahçe ruling

LAUSANNE - Agence France-Presse

Metalist Kharkiv's coach Markevich reacts during their Europa League Group K soccer match against Newcastle United's at the Metalist stadium in Kharkiv, Feb. 21. REUTERS photo

Ukrainians Metalist Kharkiv lost their appeal against a Champions League ban for match-fixing following a decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Aug. 17.

Metalist had been kicked out of the 2013/14 competition by European football's governing body UEFA after the Ukrainians had been found guilty by CAS of match-fixing in their homeland.

Another team, the Istanbul giants Fenerbahce, is also fighting expulsion over a years-old domestic match-fixing case as it prepares to play Arsenal in the playoffs next week.

The club, who have been replaced by PAOK of Greece for the Champions League play-off clash with Schalke 04 - with a place in the lucrative group stages up for grabs for the winner - had filed an urgent request to CAS seeking a temporary stay of the decision.

UEFA welcomed the decision releasing a statement on their website saying: "In rejecting the request of Metalist, the CAS has upheld the decision of the UEFA Appeals Body. It follows that PAOK FC will participate in the UEFA Champions League play-off match against FC Schalke 04, the first leg of which will take place on 21 August 2013 in Germany." On August 2, a CAS Panel determined that Metalist, as well as some individual club officials, were guilty of match-fixing in relation to a Ukrainian league game with Karpaty Lviv in 2008.

UEFA subsequently opened proceedings against the Ukrainians, resulting in Metalist being banned from this year's Champions League.

PAOK, who had originally been eliminated by Metalist in the previous qualifying round, were thus reinstated to face Schalke.

The Greek club had been due to drop down into the Europa League, but they will not be replaced in that competition, meaning their scheduled play-off round opponents, Maccabi Tel-Aviv of Israel, advance directly to the group stage.