UD Almería S.A.D. has withdrawn its appeal

26 May 2015 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) noted today that UD Almería S.A.D. has decided to withdraw its appeal against FIFA following the last round of the 2014/2015 season of the Primera Liga.

As a consequence, the CAS arbitration has now concluded and the Spanish Football Association is required to deduct 3 points from the points-tally of UD Almería S.A.D. for the 2014/2015 season of the Primera Liga, as ordered by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.

On 28 August 2013, the FIFA Players’ Status Committee issued a decision ordering UD Almería S.A.D. to make a payment to the Danish club Aalborg BK in relation to the transfer of the player Michael Jakobsen. On 30 October 2014, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee issued a decision pursuant to which UD Almería S.A.D. was granted an ultimate period of 30 days to settle its debts with Aalborg BK, failing which the Spanish Football Association would be ordered to deduct three points from the club’s points-tally in the standings of the Primera Liga. In a letter dated 26 January 2015, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee secretariat noted that, while UD Almería S.A.D. had settled its outstanding debts towards the Danish club, it had not done so within the 30-day grace period. Accordingly, the Spanish Football Association was required to proceed with the three-point deduction.

On 10 February 2015, UD Almería S.A.D. filed an appeal at the CAS with respect to such letter, together with a request for provisional measures, requesting that the points-deduction be stayed until the conclusion of the CAS proceedings. The parties were heard at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, on 20 May 2015, by the CAS Panel in charge of this matter. After consultation with the parties, the issuance of the CAS decision was scheduled for today 26 May 2015, but the decision of UD Almería S.A.D. to withdraw its appeal has put an end to this procedure.

Tuesday, 26 May 2015