Swiss court rules against UEFA

Published Oct. 5, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

A Swiss judge has ruled against UEFA and backed FC Sion's position to be reinstated into the Europa League, the Swiss club said Wednesday.

Sion said on its website that the Swiss judge ruled that UEFA's measures ''work against its own regulations and are unjustified.''

''UEFA is again ordered to reinstate the team to the Group I of the Europa League immediately and to consider its players eligible for the competition,'' Sion said on its website. ''UEFA will have to pay a fine of 1,000 Swiss francs (€813; $1,083) for every day that it fails to execute the order of the judge.''

The Vaud civil court also said that European football's governing body should pay Sion 33,000 Swiss francs (€26,840; $35,720) in damages on top of 21,400 Swiss francs (€17,386; $23,186) in legal fees.

UEFA expelled Sion for using players signed in breach of a FIFA transfer ban after it won its playoff against Celtic. UEFA had appealed a Sept. 16 ruling that had invalidated Europa League victories for Atletico Madrid and Udinese.

Celtic replaced Sion in Group I, which also includes Rennes, and has already played two games.

Sion has flouted FIFA statutes by seeking civil court judgments to be reinstated.

FIFA backed UEFA's stance on Wednesday.