Share

Asian champs Jeonbuk to appeal AFC ban

Seoul - Disgraced Asian title-holders Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) after being banned from this year's AFC Champions League over a domestic match-fixing scandal, the club said Thursday.

"We have decided to appeal the case to the CAS to justify our participation," Jeonbuk said in an emailed statement.

The Asian Football Confederation on Wednesday banned the defending champions from this year's competition due to its "indirect involvement in activities" to manipulate the outcome of matches during the 2013 and 2014 K-League seasons.

The decision was based on new eligibility rules, the AFC said.

Jeonbuk can bring its case to the CAS within 10 days of the decision, but may not have enough time to secure a ruling before the competition starts next month.

"Even if we win our case, we cannot participate if the CAS ruling is made after the AFC Champions League starts," a Jeonbuk official was quoted as saying by local media.

"We will request the CAS to make a ruling as soon as possible," he said in the article republished on the club's website.

Asia's football authorities have long struggled against match-fixing, with major scandals in countries including South Korea and China.

In September, K-League leaders Jeonbuk were docked nine points and fined ?100 won ($83,000) after one of their scouts was convicted of bribing referees during the 2013 season.

They narrowly missed out on the Korean title as a result, but beat UAE's Al Ain 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League final to lift Asia's most prestigious club trophy.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE