UEFA hits Swiss club with twoseason ban

Swiss club FC Sion have been fined and barred from taking part in European competitions for the next two seasons after failing to pay for the transfer of a player, UEFA said Tuesday.

“The club is excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next two seasons,” European soccer’s governing body said in a statement. It added that the Swiss club had also been fined 235,000 euros ($292,000).

The case involves a 950,000 euro debt FC Sion had failed to pay on time to French club Sochaux in a disputed transfer of Ghanaian player Ishmael Yartey.

The amount, which had been due in March last year, was finally paid three months late, UEFA said.

FC Sion were slapped for the “non-fulfilment of the club licencing criteria defined in the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.”

FC Sion, which are headed by Christian Constantin who famously assaulted a television pundit on air in September, was eliminated this season by Lithuania’s FK Suduva during the third qualifying round of the Europa League.