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[wassy04]

Clearly it is not over, unless Crystal Palace decide not to appeal. However, John Textor’s view of his influence is not massively important. He owns the majority of the shares in Eagle Football, who own(ed) 43% of the shares of CP and more than 80% of the shares of Lyon on March 1st. The CFCB consider a shareholding of more than 30% to be an indicator of decisive influence (not ‘control’). These are the bare facts.

I would expect the appeal to be based on unfairness of the punishment rather than disputing these facts. They would have a point. The decision might well be in their favour. After all, the Irish team’s appeal was decided 2-1 against.

They aren’t though facts! Read the rules about how decisive influence is defined:-

“No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition, such control or influence being defined in this context as:
holding a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights;
having the right to appoint or remove a majority of the members of the administrative, management or supervisory body of the club;
being a shareholder and alone controlling a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights pursuant to an agreement entered into with other shareholders of the club; or
being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club.”

It’s a majority of the voting rights, not the shareholding. In fact Textor held neither. 43% is not a majority and he held only 25% of the voting rights. None of the other definitions apply either. 

Fairness will be a factor but even if the strict application of the rules is determined as more important they don’t apply to Palace.

You're making it sound like UEFA has gone out of its way to punish Palace (sound familiar).

All the previous suggestion was UEFA did not want to kick Palace out if possible as they deserved it due to winning the cup and more importantly, they didn't want their MCO rules to be taken to CAS and get overruled as that would break them completely.

However, despite all that, they chose to kick Palace out suggesting they are pretty confident that they would win. 

Quite honestly though, I think we're all pretty sick of this either way. Just tell us which tournament we're in and we'll play in it.