UEFA has excluded the Irish club Drogheda United from the Conference League due to rules regarding ownership of multiple clubs. Drogheda United is owned by Trivela Group, which also holds a majority stake in Danish club Silkeborg, which has also qualified for the same competition. Therefore, Drogheda United cannot participate in the league. The club has announced an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). A similar situation threatens Crystal Palace, whose majority owner John Textor also owns French club Lyon, qualified for the Europa League. Crystal Palace is attempting to sell its stake to retain its place in European competition.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning outlets emphasize the fairness and transparency of UEFA’s ownership rules, highlighting the need to prevent conflicts of interest and maintain integrity in European competitions. They may also focus on the challenges smaller clubs face due to these regulations and the importance of legal appeals to ensure justice.
Center: Centrist sources report the facts of the exclusion and the ownership rules neutrally, providing balanced coverage of both the affected clubs and UEFA’s rationale. They highlight the ongoing legal appeal and the potential implications for other clubs like Crystal Palace, without strong editorializing.
Right: Right-leaning media may emphasize the perceived harshness or rigidity of UEFA’s rules, portraying the exclusion as unfair to clubs like Drogheda United. They might focus on the potential negative impact on club owners and fans, and highlight efforts by owners like John Textor to retain their clubs’ European participation, possibly criticizing UEFA’s bureaucracy.
