Sheffield United's bid to regain their Premiership status appears to be over after their bid to see West Ham docked points was dismissed.
An arbitration panel upheld the Premier League's decision not to dock the Hammers points over the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
Sheffield United launched an appeal after they went down on the last day of the season and West Ham stayed up.
West Ham had earlier been fined £5.5m for their handling of the duo's deals.
A statement on Sheffield United's website said: "We are obviously very disappointed by this conclusion.
"In particular, in circumstances where the tribunal recognised that the outcome of the decision turned out to be 'unfortunate in the extreme', and that Sheffield United have done nothing wrong to merit this outcome."
The Hammers were found guilty on 27 April of acting improperly and withholding vital documentation over the duo's ownership.
When Tevez and Mascherano were registered as players, West Ham failed to disclose that they had entered into an agreement with third-party companies.
The Blades had wanted the panel to order a new disciplinary commission to deal with the London club.
Sheffield United also lost another claim - made jointly with Fulham - that the Premier League should have forced West Ham to de-register Tevez.
A statement from the arbitration panel read: "The tribunal have found in favour of the FA Premier League on both issues and dismissed the claims of Sheffield United FC and Fulham FC."
The three-man panel, headed by retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton, did not have the power to change West Ham's punishment but could have ordered a new independent commission to judge the case.
The ruling from the arbitration panel said Sheffield United would not normally have been allowed to dispute another club's punishment but that there were "exceptional circumstances" because of their relegation, which affected their membership of the Premier League.
The tribunal said they had "sympathy" with the Blades, while West Ham had been "deliberately deceitful" and yet remained in the Premier League.
But they said they could not rule that the independent commission's decision had been wrong to fine West Ham in the first place.
The panel's ruling stated: "The tribunal had much sympathy for Sheffield United's grievances.
"However, the tribunal had to apply the principles of judicial review and determine whether the decision was irrational or perverse.
"This is a very strict test and is very difficult to satisfy.
"It concluded that it was impossible for this tribunal to find that the decision was irrational or perverse."
The performances of Tevez in particular helped the Hammers string together an excellent run of results late in the season which moved them clear of the relegation zone.
Mascherano made less of an impact and moved to Liverpool during the January transfer window.
West Ham were still in danger of losing their Premiership status on the final day of the Premier League season depending on results, but Wigan's win at Sheffield United ensured it was the Blades who were condemned to relegation.
"We are happy that this matter is finally closed and all parties can now move on," said Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson.
"The arbitration panel's decision is very clear and reflects what we have believed all along.
"West Ham United have been preparing for next season in the Premier League since the final whistle at Old Trafford in May and we will continue to do so.
"I would like to reiterate that Carlos Tevez is a registered West Ham United player with a playing contract that still has three years remaining on it, and that situation remains unchanged."
The decision of Sheffield United's appeal makes it all but certain that the Blades will be playing in the Championship next season.
In relation to Sheffield United's and Fulham's claim that the Premier League should have immediately terminated Tevez's registration, the tribunal ruled they had acted reasonably in allowing the Argentina striker to play in the last three games of the season.
A Premier League statement added: "The panel confirmed that throughout this complex and unprecedented case the Premier League followed the process laid out in our rules and behaved reasonably at all times.
"The panel also understood that this was a difficult situation, exacerbated by the fact that decisions were being made against the backdrop of the climax to the 2006-07 season."作者: 高峰 時間: 2007-7-4 09:25 AM
I pity Sheffield but sometimes the reason for dropping to lower league
is not due to the cause of other team but own effort. They did not play well and i don't think they can blame other for that. They just have to fight harder for the coming season.作者: iknow 時間: 2007-7-4 01:02 PM
上乜鬼野數ar...
自己踢得衰就唔好賴la=.=作者: 038886 時間: 2007-7-4 03:44 PM
Originally posted by iknow at 2007-7-4 01:02 PM:
上乜鬼野數ar...
Sheffield United are investigating whether they can appeal to the civil courts against an arbitration panel's verdict over the Carlos Tevez affair.
But the club has denied an earlier claim that they will seek a High Court judgement on the case.
This followed the panel's decision to uphold the original verdict not to dock West Ham points over the signings of Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
The Hammers were fined £5.5m for their handling of the duo's deals.
West Ham were found guilty on 27 April of acting improperly and withholding vital documentation over the duo's ownership.
When Tevez and Mascherano were registered as players, West Ham failed to disclose that they had entered into an agreement with third-party companies.
Sheffield United had launched their first appeal after they went down on the last day of the season and West Ham stayed up.
The three-man arbitration panel, headed by retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton, did not have the power to change West Ham's punishment but could have ordered a new independent commission to judge the case.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Premier League spokesman said in a statement: "The Premier League has just been advised by our legal team that Sheffield United have launched an appeal in the High Court."
But the Blades have said this is incorrect.作者: terencey 時間: 2007-7-14 01:01 AM 標題: 錫菲聯上訴至高等法院, 維持原判
Sheffield United have been refused leave to appeal against the Premier League arbitration panel's decision over the Carlos Tevez affair.
The arbitration panel had upheld the original decision not to dock West Ham points over the transfers of Argentine Tevez and compatriot Javier Mascherano.
West Ham were fined £5.5m and went on to survive in the top flight while United were relegated.
The Blades will now condsider their options after the High Court ruling.
The Yorkshire club's solicitor Paul Stothard said: "We now have to go and think about what we can do.
"As chairman Kevin McCabe said recently we have a long agenda of things we can do with regard to this, we are still on the first page."
And McCabe told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I have other avenues that I think may be worth persuing, but will consult with my advisors over the weekend before making that decision.
"I firmly believe along with many others that (Sheffield) United were unfairly relegated, but that it has been difficult to probe the legal community."
The Hammers were found guilty of acting improperly and withholding vital documentation over Tevez and Mascherano's ownership on 27 April and fined £5.5m.
When Tevez and Mascherano were registered as players, West Ham failed to disclose that they had entered into an agreement with third-party companies.
Sheffield United launched their first appeal after they went down on the last day of the season and West Ham stayed up.
The three-man arbitration panel, headed by retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton, did not have the power to change West Ham's punishment but could have ordered a new independent commission to judge the case.
The Blades went into Friday's hearing hoping to prove that the arbitration panel made an "error in law" by not ordering a new disciplinary commission to deal with the affair - but this was rejected by the High Court.
And following the verdict, Stothard added: "Sheffield United have not been granted leave to appeal aspects of the arbitration panel's decision earlier this month.
"This application was made on very limited grounds and it has also been denied on very limited grounds.
"Sheffield United are not precluded from taking further action whether against the Premier League or West Ham."
McCabe had accepted prior to the verdict that the club would not be reinstated to the Premier League but he is looking for up to £50m in compensation.
"I think anyone who looks at it and says one club has been wronged then the only recourse to make that wrong right is financial," he said prior to Friday's decision.
"If you say that the Championship play-off game is worth £60m and Sheffield United's attendance last year was 31,000, with full hospitality boxes and restaurants and broadcasting income, you would say compensation is around £50m."
