UEFA welcomes CAS decision to dismiss appeal by Maltese player Samir Arab

UEFA has welcomed the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to reject the appeal filed by the Maltese player Samir Arab against a two year-suspension issued by the UEFA Appeals Body in April 2018.

UEFA had previously initiated disciplinary investigations against several Maltese players for allegedly having infringed several provisions of Article 12 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) in connection with potential match-fixing issues. The investigation related to two UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2017 matches played in March by Malta against Montenegro on 23 March 2016 and the Czech Republic on 29 March 2016.

On 9 January 2018, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body announced its decision to ban six of the investigated players for several infringements against the above-mentioned provision (Article 12 UEFA Disciplinary Regulations). The sanctions imposed ranged from one year to a life ban. All of the sanctions were subsequently confirmed by the Appeals Body, while the life bans imposed on two players were reduced to a ten-year ban.

Samir Arab had been banned by the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body for two years (until 31 December 2019) for not immediately and voluntarily informing UEFA when approached in connection with activities aimed at influencing, in an unlawful or undue manner, the course and/or result of a match or competition (Article 12 (2) (d) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations).

The appeal lodged by the player was rejected by the UEFA Appeals Body on 9 April 2018, and the decision of the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body was upheld.

UEFA now welcomes the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, issued on 16 August 2018, in which CAS rejected the appeal filed by the player and confirmed the decision of the UEFA Appeals Body. The player therefore remains suspended until 31 December 2019.

UEFA takes this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to ridding football of the scourge of match-fixing, and its zero-tolerance approach in this respect.