Fenerbahce mulls CAS appeal over ban
ISTANBUL - Turkish champions Fenerbahce are considering an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over their exclusion from the Champions League in connection with a match-fixing investigation.
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Fenerbahce said in a statement it had appointed two lawyers to conduct the legal process related to its Champions League ban.
"One of the legal paths before our club is the option of applying to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)," the club said in a statement on its website.
"Our club is facing an unjust outcome as a result of the mistakes made from a legal point of view."
More than 30 players and officials have been jailed in Turkey pending trial, including Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yildirim, over alleged manipulation in 19 matches.
On Saturday, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) rejected the club's offer to play in a lower division, having already turned down its appeal against the ruling barring it from European competition.
The TFF has said it would not take any decisions regarding individuals or clubs involved in alleged match-fixing until a Turkish court accepts the indictment and ends a ban on the disclosure of evidence. That could take several months.
However, under pressure from UEFA, the TFF then excluded Fenerbahce from the Champions League, allowing Turkish league runners-up Trabzonspor to take their place.
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The TFF has postponed the start of the season by a month until September 9 due to the investigation.
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