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.
Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in Alaska
Better funding could prevent more drownings
US and UK launch fresh strikes on Houthis in Yemen
Auckland bus services disrupted by police search warrant
Rita Ora flashes some cleavage in a scoop
Hezbollah launches rockets, drones into Israel as US warns Iran
No thanks to traditional meals, say Gen Z
Communist Party anniversary will be the 'elephant in the room', expert says
Start of Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial is delayed a week to mid
Digital declaration now available for all international travellers to NZ
Emiliano Martinez is shown TWO yellow cards but little
Death penalty for artist behind Kyoto anime fire, which killed 36