Celtic will have to await the decision on any appeal submitted by Sion before they can really celebrate their reinstatement to the Europa League. Sion were punished for fielding ineligible players signed when a embargo had been placed on them by FIFA and UEFA. UEFA released a statement which read: "The UEFA control and disciplinary body today dealt with the two protests lodged by Celtic FC against the validity of their UEFA Europa League play-off ties played against FC Sion on 18 and 25 August. The Scottish club questioned the eligibility of a number of the Sion players who participated in these matches, with the Swiss side winning 3-1 on aggregate. The control and disciplinary body accepted both protests and decided to award both ties to Celtic by forfeit (3-0). As a consequence, Celtic are qualified for the UEFA Europa League group stage. An appeal can be lodged against these decisions within three days of receipt of the written grounds for the decisions." Celtic will replace Sion as the opposition for Atletico Madrid, Udinese and Rennes in Group I. Celtic said in a statement that they were "pleased by this decision", and thanked the SFA for their support.
Sion have two rights of appeal, the second with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and the Swiss club's president Christian Constantin tonight promised to take the case to a civil court. Sion signed five players with the club still under a transfer ban imposed by FIFA after breaching rules over the signing of Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary three years ago, although a Swiss court had ruled in their favour. One of those players, Pascal Feindouno, scored two goals in the 3-1 second leg win over Celtic in Switzerland. Constantin said: "Play continues on Monday. We will use a civil court to be tried by true justice. There I hope we will have more luck."
They have already done that during the long-running dispute, winning a ruling that prompted the Swiss football authorities to allow them to field the five players in domestic action. According to former Celtic player Frank McGarvey, the verdict from UEFA's control and disciplinary body makes amends for a decision which went against the club 27 years ago. McGarvey claims Celtic were victims of "disgraceful" treatment in 1984 when they were embroiled in an infamous European Cup Winners Cup clash with Rapid Vienna. The second leg of that game at Celtic Park, which the Hoops won 3-0 following a 3-1 first-leg defeat, was ruled null and void after the Austrians claimed Rudi Weinhofer had been hit by a bottle thrown from the terracing. A third game was ordered to be played at a neutral venue and Rapid won 1-0 at Manchester United's Old Trafford.
McGarvey said: "I am delighted with the news that Celtic are back in the tournament. At last Celtic have had a bit of justice from UEFA, although it has taken 27 years. Sion have broken the rules of football and they have got to be punished. What UEFA did to us in 1984 was disgraceful. Rapid Vienna were cheats and got away with it. Their player did not get touched and although we beat them fair and square, we had to play another game and got knocked out. I wish I had had the strength of character to have said I didn't want to play against Rapid Vienna at Old Trafford but in any case the club should have withdrawn. But we didn't and got beat and they reached the final to be beaten by Everton. Maybe that is an omen for Celtic, who knows? Denmark are another team who were brought back into a tournament in 1992 and ended up winning the European Championship. But regardless, it is great for Celtic and a boost for Scottish football and I am extremely happy. It is brilliant for the players who need European experience and for the manager as well. They have nothing to lose now. It is a tough group but you never know what can happen now."
A club spokesperson said: "We have been advised by UEFA that the two protests relating to the matches against FC Sion have been upheld, as a result of which each match has been forfeited in favour of Celtic. We are pleased by this decision, the approach which has been taken by UEFA and the fact that UEFA rules and regulations have been upheld. We are also grateful for the support of the SFA in this matter."
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said yesterday that if the Parkhead club were successful, he would look forward to the group stages, which start on 15 September with an away tie in Madrid. Lawwell said: "I think it is a Champions League group in terms of the quality of the clubs that are in there. It is exciting."