ARNHEM, Netherlands (AP) — Soccer club Vitesse Arnhem was docked 18 points on Friday and will be relegated from the Netherlands top division while under investigation for ties to sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea.
Vitesse said in a statement it will not appeal the punishment imposed by a licensing panel at the Dutch soccer federation. It dropped the team into the second tier for the first time in 35 years.
Vitesse already was in danger of relegation before its points total was cut to -1 in a distant last place in the Eredivisie standings.
The Dutch federation said Vitesse “repeatedly failed” to meet the demands of its financial license.
Vitesse and its Russian owners had longstanding ties to Chelsea which Abramovich owned for nearly 20 years. The British government forced a sale of Chelsea after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Indianapolis official La Keisha Jackson to fill role of late state Sen. Jean Breaux
Lawsuit seeks to force ban on menthol cigarettes after delays by Biden
Maple syrup from New Jersey: You got a problem with that?
Children race to collect marshmallows dropped from a helicopter at a Detroit
Survival expert reveals what to do if you fall OVERBOARD on a cruise ship
Firefighters in New Jersey come to the rescue of a yellow Labrador stuck in a spare tire
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week
Thailand ready for any scenario on Myanmar border, foreign minister says — Radio Free Asia
Taylor Swift teases Fortnight's black
New apps test AI chatbots to help mental health crisis
Rita Ora flashes some cleavage in a scoop
NASA satellite blasts off to survey oceans and atmosphere of warming Earth