In a recent ruling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld UEFA’s decision to disqualify Irish Cup victors Drogheda from participating in next season’s Conference League. This decision was made because of a violation of UEFA regulations regarding ownership conflicts involving investors with stakes in multiple clubs.
The CAS made their judgment swiftly on Monday as they dismissed Drogheda’s appeal. UEFA is set to commence the draws for the qualifying rounds of the third-tier European competition soon. Drogheda, along with Danish club Silkeborg, had qualified for the Conference League’s second preliminary round. However, both clubs are under the ownership of the Trivela Group based in the United States, which triggered UEFA’s rules on sporting integrity.
The regulations prohibit clubs that are part of a multi-club ownership network from entering the same competition if one owner has significant control over both clubs. Drogheda offered an apology to their fans, expressing the deep disappointment caused by the situation which now denies the club potential winnings in the realm of hundreds of thousands of euros in UEFA prize money.
The club missed an essential UEFA directive with a March 1 cutoff date that urged proactive changes in ownership or management structures to avoid such conflicts. CAS reported that the judges concurred UEFA had provided necessary information that Drogheda was expected to be aware of. The court also noted a 2-1 majority rejected Drogheda’s claims of being treated unequally by UEFA.
This issue mirrors other cases in recent years involving top clubs like Manchester City, Manchester United, and AC Milan, where complex ownership structures necessitated blind trusts or imposed sanctions such as transfer bans to maintain competitive fairness. UEFA’s panel is also examining the eligibility of clubs like Crystal Palace and Lyon in the Europa League, considering ownership stakes might also present conflicts.
In this instance, Silkeborg was given priority for the Conference League spot since it finished higher in its national league compared to Drogheda. As a result, Drogheda faces financial losses, including the potential 350,000 euros ($406,000) prize money associated with the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
Drogheda lamented the decision, stating, “We believe it is unjust. Rules should protect opportunity, not prevent it,” but they also acknowledged their accountability in the matter and extended their apologies to all those affected by the fallout.