CAS dismisses Welsh appeal

The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal filed by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) in relation to the UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying play-off second leg against Russia in Cardiff last November.

Match regularity
The FAW had taken its case to CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland, following the UEFA Appeals Body's decision in March to reject its appeal against the regularity of the match.

Titov ban
The FAW submitted its appeal to UEFA on the grounds that Russia midfield player Yegor Titov was ineligible to play as a result of his positive doping test after the first leg in Moscow. Titov is now serving a 12-month worldwide ban after testing positive for the banned substance bromantan, which means he will miss EURO 2004™. Russia scored the only goal of the tie in Cardiff to qualify for the finals in Portugal this summer.

CAS statement
"Contrary to the opinion of the FAW, the panel has considered that the Football Union of Russia could not be assimilated to an 'accomplice or abettor' of [...] Titov under the terms of the UEFA disciplinary regulations and consequently could not be sanctioned," said CAS in a statement.