Mps Ask Nandy To Intervene Over Palace Demotion

A group of Liberal Democrat MPs person asked nan civilization caput Lisa Nandy to intervene complete Uefa's "disgraceful" determination to demote Crystal Palace from nan Europa League for breaching its multi-club ownership rules.

The 7 politicians from London - including statement leader Sir Ed Davey - wrote to definitive "deep concern" complete what they called "a highly different and terrible reward connected nan nine that raises superior questions astir fairness and transparency successful nan governance of English football".

The Eagles, who qualified for nan Europa League by winning nan FA Cup - their first awesome trophy - successful May, were demoted to nan little tier Conference League connected Friday.

The rules of European football's governing assemblage authorities that clubs owned, to a definite period of influence, by nan aforesaid personification aliases entity cannot compete successful nan aforesaid European competition.

American businessman John Textor owns a liking successful Palace and is nan mostly proprietor of French nine Lyon, who person besides qualified for nan Europa League.

Uefa's rules group a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show impervious of multi-club ownership restructuring - a deadline which Palace missed.

In a missive seen by BBC Sport, nan group of Lib Dems described nan saga arsenic "heart-breaking for fans".

"Other clubs look to spell done overmuch much prolonged disputes pinch little terrible outcomes," they said.

"Many judge that this process has been opaque and disproportionately punitive [and] risks undermining not only nan club's accomplishment but besides nationalist assurance successful nan fairness of shot governance."

Nandy was urged to guarantee "the decision-making process is reviewed for transparency and fairness" and that "the nine is fixed a adjacent opportunity to entreaty aliases respond to immoderate allegations".

Nottingham Forest, who vanished seventh successful nan Premier League past season, are group to switch Palace successful nan Europa League.

On Tuesday, Palace supporters staged a protestation against Uefa's determination pinch hundreds marching to Selhurst Park carrying banners and chanting against European football's governing body.

Meanwhile, Palace president Steve Parish has confirmed nan nine will entreaty to nan Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) complete Uefa's decision.

"We are still fighting," Parish told nan The Rest is Football, external podcast.

"There's an entreaty process, truthful we spell to Cas, and we're very hopeful. We deliberation we've sewage awesome ineligible arguments.

"We don't deliberation this is nan correct determination by immoderate means. We cognize unequivocally that John didn't person decisive power complete nan club.

"We cognize we proved that beyond each reasonable uncertainty because it's a fact."

Textor is presently successful nan process of trading his liking successful Crystal Palace to New York Jets proprietor Woody Johnson.

Uefa has been approached for comment.