Wales lose appeal

[Jook]

No Wales in Euro 2004 then...

Wales lose Euro 2004 appeal

Hughes' Wales will not go to Portugal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed Wales' appeal to win a late entry to Euro 2004.

Wales wanted Russia thrown out of the European Championship after their player Egor Titov failed a drugs test after the first-leg play-off last year.

The court in Lausanne dismissed Uefa's contention that they had no jurisdiction on the case, but rejected the appeal on its merits.

Wales failed to prove that Russia were implicated in Titov's drug taking.

Uefa had already rejected two appeals from the Football Association of Wales to have Russia excluded.

Titov was an unused substitute in the goalless first leg of the play-off.

It's disappointing to see that drugs cheating has prevailed

FAW Secretary General David Collins

He then played for just under an hour in the second leg at the Millennium Stadium, when his side secured a 1-0 win to book their passage to next month's finals in Portugal.

"We had overcome the major hurdle of jurisdiction, but could not prove that Russia were implicated in Titov taking the drug," said FAW Secretary General David Collins.

"The drug had a huge effect with regard to performance and relieving the tiredness that all players involved in the play-offs felt.

"It's disappointing to see that drugs cheating has prevailed."

Despite losing out, Collins said that he hoped the fact that the CAS's jurisdiction had been established would have an effect on future cases.

Wales wasted their time and money with all their appeals

Alexander Tukmanov, Russian Football Union

"National associations will now have to look at their regulations with regard to doping," he said.

"Hopefully Uefa and Fifa will take this case into consideration."

Alexander Tukmanov, executive director of the Russian Football Union, said the verdict was a foregone conclusion.

"I think they (Wales) just wasted their time and money with all their appeals," said Tukmanov.

"Uefa's message was clear: you earned your right to play at the finals on the field of play, not in the courtroom.

"But apparently Wales thought differently, they just wouldn't stop.

"By appealing over and over again they just kept deceiving their own public and giving us an extra headache."

Who will they go to now? May I suggest they try with the United Nations

From Silver Bullet

Have your say on 606

Spartak Moscow captain Titov, who was banned for a year by European soccer's governing body in January, has always maintained his innocence, saying he was given the banned substance bromantan as medication by mistake.

Spartak's former chief doctor Artyom Katulin said last month that one of his aides had prescribed Titov a food supplement containing bromantan without the player's knowledge.

Katulin was fired by the club shortly after Titov was banned.

[supergrass]

It was always a bit of a desperate plea to make it to the finals, I didn't expect it to work out. Shame though, Wales had been playing well, I would've liked to have seen how they'd do against some bigger teams.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I've personally never seen the appeal of Wales...

Shame Simon Davies won't make it to a major championship though...Or Giggs...They deserve better.

[9 to 5]

It was all a bit far-feteched as if they were gonna go to Euro 2004. Shame they did well, just hope they build towards the world cup. In 2nd place of course.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

They lost fair and square, not because of drugs but because they're shite, their only good player is Ryan Giggs and not even he can do much when surrounded by a bunch of monkeys.

[Thrilla]

I could always see the argument for instating Wales in Euro 2004 in the place of Russia but I never thought it was going to happen.

However, if it was England, France, Germany, Italy or Spain, I could of seen it happening.

[RawIsWar]

i think Wales should of won there appeal they had a very good reason and i think Russia got lucky

[Colly]

They lost fair and square, not because of drugs but because they're shite, their only good player is Ryan Giggs and not even he can do much when surrounded by a bunch of monkeys.

←

Can anyone say Gary Speed? And Craig Bellamy when hes fit.

I agree with the sentiment though. He was an unused sub, hell all the teams in Russias group should appeal too, maybe they should go through. It didn't affect Wales' loss in any way, and as long as the player as punished adequately there is no need to unfairly pull Russia out of the championship and put an undeserving team in. If Man United had won the league this year, would Arsenal be appealing because Rio Ferdinand had played at the start of the season? They probably would, but at least their case would have some grounding.

Edited May 13, 2004 by Colly

[Guest Hunglikeawelshman]

Unhidden (and edited) this, because I'm sick of seeing the label "4 queued posts" on this forum until the end of time.

Edited January 11, 2012 by stokeriño