UEFA removes Azerbaijani club from Conference League for past match-fixing case

NYON, Switzerland — UEFA removed Azerbaijani club Turan Tovuz from next season's Conference League because of past match-fixing by players, the European soccer body said Wednesday.

The club said in a statement it will challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Turan finished third in the Azerbaijani league to earn a place in the second qualifying round of the third-tier Conference League. The draw is made in two weeks and first-leg games are on July 23.

Entry rules for the Conference League require clubs “not have been directly and/or indirectly involved” in fixing domestic or international games in the previous 10 years.

Seven Turan players were banned in 2019 by the Azerbaijani soccer federation, the club acknowledged in a statement.

Teams playing in qualifying for the Conference League season include Ajax, Atalanta, Brighton, Freiburg and Monaco.