LAUSANNE; Crystal Palace must play in the UEFA Conference League this season after an appeal against demotion by the European federation from the Europa League was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Nottingham Forest have promoted in their place.

The decision, over a breach of multiclub ownership rules, followed less than 24 hours after the FA Cup-winners beat Liverpool on penalties to win the FA Community Shield at Wembley.

American businessman John Textor owned a 43pc stake in the club until he sold it in June and is the majority owner of Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League. Palace had until March 1 to show UEFA proof of restructuring but missed that deadline.

In July, Palace submitted an appeal to CAS against UEFA as well as Lyon and Nottingham Forest.

In the ruling, CAS said:

• Regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date, as Palace claimed.
• Textor still had decisive influence over both clubs at the time of Uefa’s assessment date.
• The panel also dismissed Palace’s argument that they received unfair treatment in comparison to Nottingham Forest and Lyon.

UEFA rules state clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European tournament.

Palace argued Textor does not hold any decisive influence at the club, but Uefa did not accept the Premier League side’s defence.

Palace will face either Norwegian side Fredrikstad or Midtjylland of Denmark in the Conference League play-off round later this month.

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