QPR relieved after FA delivers verdict in their favour
Queens Park Rangers (QPR) will be promoted to the Premier League next season as the FA delivered its verdict earlier today, deciding not to dock points after the club were found guilty of breaching the Football Association (FA) laws of third party ownership of a player.
The club secured the signature of midfielder Alejandro Faurlin back in 2009 for a fee of 3.5 million pounds, but it later appeared the player was still owned by a third party when QPR secured his services.
It was feared that QPR will be docked 15 points, which would have stripped them off their title and left them in the play-off spots and jeopardize their promotion to the Premier League next season.
But the verdict now means that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rangers-c40314 will be presented the Championship winner’s trophy on Sunday when they host Leeds United for their last game of the season.
"There have been a few tears in the dressing room. It's been a h**l of a time and how they [the players] have been able to focus I'll never know. I can't praise them high enough. It hasn't sunk in completely. It's just a relief to know we are the champions." Said QPR manager Neil Warnock in reaction to the verdict.
The decision not to go ahead with the points deduction was followed by a disciplinary hearing by an independent tribunal specially convened by the Football Association.
The verdict was initially expected by 1600 hrs GMT on Friday but it was delayed because of some late evidence presented in the case.
However, the verdict now ends the prolonged agony for the Loftus Road club, as they secured the Championship title along with the promotion to the English top flight after an impressive season under the tutelage of Neil Warnock.
The case has been under investigation by the FA since September of last year when QPR first approached the body to buy the third party rights of the player.
QPR were prompted to go ahead, as the Football League’s new regulations prohibited any player being owned by a third party while representing any club in England.
The authorities told the club that they will have to notify the FA of any third party ownership but the failure to do so by the club put them in danger of being docked points.
A preliminary statement from the FA read, "The regulatory commission hearing charges brought by the FA against Queens Park Rangers FC wish to announce that although two of the charges have been found to be proved there will be no points deduction made from Queens Park Rangers FC in this season or the next."
The verdict ends the possibility of Cardiff City or Swansea City getting an automatic promotion to the Premier League, but the club authorities have said that they will not be challenging the decision.
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