BURSA, Turkey
Turkish Spor Toto Super League club Bursaspor has said it will complete a one-year ban on entering UEFA club tournaments and "be in European competitions next year."
The western Turkey side had been found in violation of so-called Financial Fair Play regulations. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday night rejected Bursaspor's appeal to qualify for UEFA club competitions.
The CAS ruling has ended uncertainty for the Turkish side.
Turkish sports law expert Gurur Gaye Gunal told Anadolu Agency that the decision would favor Bursaspor “as the ban will be completed in 2015-16 football season."
In 2012 CAS initially ordered Bursaspor to be excluded from UEFA club organizations for one season at a time when the club was eligible for European challenges.
"The decision was made in 2012 and suspended until 2015. The court ordered that Bursaspor would be excluded from any UEFA club organization for one season in a four-year period after 2015," Gunal added.
Club president Recep Bolukbasi told Anadolu Agency: "We will complete the ban this year and Bursaspor can be in European competitions next year."
The Financial Fair Play criteria are aimed at break-even targets, sporting measures and financial contributions. UEFA monitors clubs financially to make sure they are not spending more money than they earn, a measure created to help teams avoid financial problems in the long-term.
