Crystal Palace are are set to demand full disclosure of what they believe are bombshell emails and texts between UEFA and Nottingham Forest – which they believe could ‘prove’ double standards have been applied over their European demotion.
Eagles officials are of the firm view that correspondence exists between the two potentially showing that Forest, unlike Palace, were allowed to extend the March 1 deadline to comply with UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership.
FA Cup winners Palace were last week demoted from the Europa League to the Europa Conference because they had not solved issues regarding former major shareholder John Textor and his ownership of Lyon by March 1.
However, they are convinced that Forest, who have been ‘promoted’ from the Conference League to take their slot, were given additional time by UEFA.
Mail Sport understands that Palace, who will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), will now demand UEFA hand over correspondence between themselves and Forest. Such documents, if presented to a CAS panel, could potentially result in Palace’s reinstatement to the Europa League.
Eagles bosses also believe Forest have written to UEFA to express their expectation that Palace should be demoted.
The development comes after it emerged that the European Club Association, which effectively runs European football with UEFA, had emailed its member sides to tell them that the March 1 deadline was not sacrosanct.
In the email, first reported by the Telegraph, the ECA inform their clubs that UEFA would allow until May 31 for those at-risk to resolve any issues.
Palace believe Hugo Hamon, Head of Finance Strategy and Operations at the ECA, advised those affected on how to set up a ‘blind trust’ to essentially navigate the rules.
Palace say the only communication from UEFA was sent to a generic email address, and that there were no reminders. They are not a member of the ECA and so would not have received the additional guidance from the ECA about the deadline. While Forest are not an ECA member, Olympiakos, who are also owned by Evangelos Marinakis, are.
It is also understood that UEFA sent communication around the deadline, which was brought forward for last season, to the correct email address at Lyon but that it was not acted upon.
In April, beyond the original deadline, Marinakis diluted his control of Forest when it looked like both they and Olympiakos could qualify for the Champions League. As it transpired, such a move was not necessary as Forest ended the season seventh.
Textor’s company, Eagle Football Holdings, held a 43 per cent stake in Palace, which at the time was more than any other entity. It also owns Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League. Rules state that two clubs owned, to a certain threshold, by the same person cannot compete in the same competition. In this instance, because Lyon finished higher in their domestic league than Palace, they took the spot.
It is understood that all options, including legal action, remain on the table for Palace, who are digesting Uefa’s written reasons for their demotion. The draw for the Conference League play-off round, at which stage Palace would enter, is on August 4.
When Textor took his stake in Palace, he did not hold shares in any other club. He has now sold his Eagle Football Holdings share in the club to US businessman Woody Johnson. Palace say he was never in a position of influence at Selhurst Park and that no intelligence was shared between Palace and any of the other clubs in the group.
There is a hope that Palace chairman Steve Parish’s relationship with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin may help. Parish flew to UEFA HQ to meet with Ceferin during the Super League crisis when many of Europe’s top clubs attempted to set up a breakaway league. Both were united on that subject and Parish has expressed his admiration for how Ceferin handled the situation.
The FA has written to UEFA to outline its support for Palace’s case, while a group of Liberal Democrat MPs have asked culture secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene in what they have branded a ‘disgraceful’ decision.
Earlier this week, hundreds of Palace supporters marched to Selhurst Park in a protest organised by ultras fan group the Holmesdale Fanatics. They called the decision ‘a terrible injustice for both our club and the game of football as a whole’.
Crystal Palace and UEFA declined to comment. Nottingham Forest have been contacted for comment.
