BBC Scotland are refusing to give up on their desire to see Celtic eliminated from the Champions League.
After UEFA rejected Legia Warsaw’s appeal against the 3-0 forfeit for fielding the suspended Bartosz Bereszynski the BBC initially reported that Legia’s appeal against EXPULSION from the competition had been thrown out. That take on events was later watered down for a more factual account of the failed appeal.
Not for the first time the BBC were playing the old apples and oranges comparison. UEFA did not expel Legia from the Champions League- they awarded Celtic a 3-0 win because Legia had fielded a suspended player. Scoring one more penalty in Warsaw would have made the 3-0 forfeit academic.
As news emerged last week of the Bereszynski case BBC Scotland decided to draw a comparison with Debrecen being fined £15,000 for fielding an ineligible player. UEFA rules clearly differentiate between suspended and ineligible players but despite their vast staff and resources the BBC decided to compare apples with oranges.
After today’s verdict the only avenue left to Legia is to take their complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
Despite having no grounds whatsoever to appeal on, UEFA have played it strictly by the book, the state broadcaster have been busy trying to fast track a Legia appeal through CAS.
Earlier today CAS ruled on Luis Suarez’s four month ban for biting at the World Cup but despite being up against the clock the BBC have been planning an appeal schedule for the non-licence payers in Poland.
Under the excited headline ‘CAS may fast-track Legia Champions League appeal the BBC reported: “CAS can either render a decision on request for provisional measures (if requested by Legia) or organize an expedited procedure (with the agreement of Uefa) with a hearing on Monday and a decision on the same day,” a spokesman for CAS told the state broadcaster tonight.
“The appeal shall be in writing; the other steps of the procedure can be determined by agreement between Legia and Uefa (hearing or no hearing, procedural calendar, etc).”
The BBC added: “A provisional measure could be reached if all sides do not agree to the fast-track appeal procedure. In those circumstances, CAS would rule on the validity of Legia’s case, essentially providing the club with a verdict before proceeding to the full appeals procedure.
“Uefa would have to abide by CAS’s decision, and so could reinstate Legia to the Champions League if the court found in the Polish club’s favour.”
Perhaps if the state broadcaster showed the same determination to look into the mysterious Five Way agreement signed off by Stewart Regan and Neil Doncaster in July 2012 Scottish football would be in a healthier position.
Should Celtic make it through to the group stages of the Champions League we can expect blanket coverage from BBC Scotland either side of the matches with the real action- on the pitch- being shared by ITV and Sky Sports who both fend for themselves without being funded through taxation.
Meanwhile, despite being refused access to interview anyone from Sevco, BBC Alba will show live coverage of Monday’s Petrofec Training Challenge Cup tie with Clyde providing extra exposure to shirt and trackside sponsors.
CLICK HERE for Auldheid’s take on a possible CAS hearing (no licence required)
