Southampton’s play-off final appeal dismissed | OneFootball

Southampton’s appeal against the decision to kick them out of the Championship play-off final has been rejected by a League Arbitration Panel.

Yesteday, the Saints were expelled from the play-off final by the English Football League (EFL) after Middlesbrough complained that someone had spied on their training session ahead of the first leg of the semi-final against Southampton.

The EFL said Southampton had “admitted to multiple breaches of EFL Regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training.”

The Saints appealed the sanction, explaining in a statement: “The Commission was entitled to impose a sanction. It was not, we will argue, entitled to impose one that is manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game.”

Their case was tonight heard and rejected by a League Arbitration Panel.

The decision means Middlesbrough will be reinstated in the Championship play-offs. They will now face Hull City in the play-off final at Wembley this Saturday.

As well as their expulsion from the play-offs, Southampton have also been dealt a four-point deduction. The point deduction will be enforced at the start of next season.

In response to losing their appeal, Southampton said in a statement: “This is an extremely disappointing outcome for everybody connected with Southampton Football Club.

“We know how painful this moment will be for our supporters, players, staff, commercial partners and the wider community who have given so much backing to the team throughout the season and we apologise once again to everyone impacted by this.”