Guangzhou Evergrande sanctioned for regulatory violations at AFC Champions League Final 2015
Press Release
Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN) has been found guilty of a number of breaches of the AFC Champions League Regulations 2015 and Marketing and Media Regulations for AFC Club Competitions 2015 in relation to the second leg of the 2015 final, which it hosted on November 21 against Al Ahli (UAE).
The AFC Disciplinary Committee has fined Guangzhou Evergrande a total of USD160,000 and ordered the club to play its first match in the 2016 season behind closed doors. This will be Guangzhou Evergrande’s group stage match on February 24 against the winner of East Zone Play-Off 1.
The breaches included filming the opponent’s closed training session, conducting an unauthorised post-match ceremony, infringing upon the commercial rights of AFC sponsors and numerous violations in relation to the organisation of the second leg, including significant safety and security failures.
The Chinese Football Association also received a fine of USD10,000.
For further details, see the terms of the decision here: https://www.the-afc.com/uploads/afc/files/list_of_the_afcdc_decisions_30012016.pdf.
- AFC Champions League Regulations 2015 AFC Disciplinary Committee Asian Football Confederation (AFC) China Chinese Football Association (CFA) Disciplinary Football Governance Marketing and Media Regulations for AFC Club Competitions 2015 Regulation
Mediating Football Disputes: The New FIFA Mediation Guidelines