By Samindra Kunti
April 7 – The Court of Arbitration CAS has dismissed an appeal lodged by Brazil’s Internacional over Vitoria Da Bahia’s problems with the player’s registration of Victor Ramos. The decision confirms Internacional’s relegation to Brazil’s Serie B.
The club from Porte Alegre had submitted that Vitoria be deducted points over the issue, but CAS has rejected any such notion due to a lack of jurisdiction to hear the appeal – effectively CAS were being asked to investigate and judge a case in the Brazilian league in the first instance rather than arbitrate or hear an appeal of a issue already ruled on.
In December Brazil’s national disciplinary tribunal for sport STJD decided not to investigate claims that player Victor Ramos was not properly registered with Esporte Clube Vitória Da Bahia during the 2016 Brazilian Série A season.
With the body’s lack of jurisdiction the arbitration proceedings have concluded and the results of last season will remain unchanged. Internacional sought a points deduction from CAS in order to finish 16th in the table and avoid relegation.
Internacional alleged that there were ‘anomalies’ with Ramos’ registration regarding his international player status and called for an investigation. The club argued that Ramos’s transfer to Victoria had not abided by the rules of the Transfer Matching System TMS. The player plied his trade at Monterrey of Mexico but was loaned to Palmeiras before moving to Vitoria. The STJD dismissed the case for a lack of evidence.
Internacional took their case to Switzerland as a last resource, but in the end it was too little avail. CAS was asked by Internacional to dock Vitória’s points enough to flip the teams’ respective positions in the standings. The court said in its statement that the proceedings were accelerated in order to get out a decision before the start of the 2017 season.
CAS’s decision means Internacional will play in Brazil’s second division this season. The club will also have to pay at least $50,000 in appeals costs, $11,939 to Vitoria and $7,953 to the Brazilian FA the CBF.
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