Anderlecht Scandal: 1984-1998

20 May '98

Another example of money winning out. UEFA has decided to abide by TAS's ruling and overturn its own one-year ban on Anderlecht. As a result, Anderlecht will not be punished for bribing the referee of the 1984 UEFA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest and will take part in next year's UEFA Cup.

As a side-effect of UEFA's decision, Harelbeke have been demoted from participating in the UEFA Cup and must now play in the Intertoto Cup - probably against Sampdoria. Also disappointed by the court's ruling will be Lokoren, who will not participate in any UEFA competition next year as a result.

19 May '98

TAS, Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (the Court of Sports Arbitration, a sports tribunal set up by the International Olympic Committee), overturned UEFA's ban on Belgian side Anderlecht for bribing a Spanish referee in their UEFA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest of England in 1984. The Brussels team won their appeal on a technicality with the court accepting their claim that the issue was dealt with by the wrong UEFA body - the UEFA executive committee had decided on the ban when the scandal should have been taken care of by UEFA's judicial committee.

UEFA will announce their reaction to the ruling tomorrow. If UEFA accept this decision, it means Anderlecht will take part in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup.

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9 December '97

Nottingham Forest are "hopeful" of reaching a Christmas settlement with Anderlecht in their bid to receive one million pounds in compensation for the 1984 UEFA Cup bribery scandal.

Reports:

15 October '97

Nottingham Forest have made a request to UEFA to take Anderlecht's place in the next European competition for which the Belgian club qualify.

Reports:

30 September '97

UEFA have banned Anderlecht of Belgium from European competition for one year because of bribes a senior club official made to a referee in their UEFA Cup semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest in 1984 - a game they won 3-0 in curious circumstances. The ban will take effect the next year that the club qualifies for Europe - as such, it will have no effect on this year's UEFA Cup. The following are how various world news sources have reported on the story.

27 September '97

Seamier side of the game

24 September '97

23 September '97

22 September '97

17 September '97

16 September '97

UEFA won't take action against Anderlecht

10 September '97

Ex-Forest players to sue Anderlecht over 1984 ref payoff

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