UEFA uphold Europa League ban on Real Mallorca

Real Mallorca’s bid to keep their place in this year’s Europa League appeared to have ended on Friday when UEFA, football’s governing body in Europe, rejected their appeal against a ban.

“The UEFA appeals body has today dismissed the appeal lodged by Spanish club RCD Mallorca and upheld the UEFA control and disciplinary body’s decision not to admit the Spanish club to the UEFA club competitions for the 2010/11 season,” UEFA said in a statement.

Mallorca, who were excluded from the competition last week on the grounds that they have failed to meet the financial criteria set down by UEFA for clubs wishing to enter European competitions, indicated that they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

UEFA barred Mallorca, who qualified by coming fifth in the Spanish first division last season, for accumulating 60 million euros of debt.

“At its meeting on July 14, 2010, the club financial control panel unanimously concluded that the licence had not been correctly awarded to RCD Mallorca and that the club did not sufficiently fulfil its financial obligations,” added the UEFA statement.

On Wednesday, the Mallorca players protested to UEFA president Michel Platini over the decision to ban them.

“It’s certain that our club has some problems, but who today doesn’t have them? You know about the situation facing all clubs,” read a letter by the players that was published on the team’s official website.

“This team had a fantastic season and put in a lot of hard work. We led our team into Europe.”

Villarreal, who had come seventh in Spain last season, have been admitted in Mallorca’s place.