UEFA Releases Prize Money Payments For 16 Clubs Involved In Club Competitions

The UEFA Club Financial Control Body investigatory chamber has released prize money payments for 16 teams involved in the '12-13 UEFA club competitions. Sixteen of the 23 clubs that had the payment of prize money from the '12-13 UEFA competition season temporarily suspended by the CFCB investigatory chamber have had their suspensions lifted, after the body's review process adjudged that the necessary financial requirements had been implemented. As a conservatory measure, the investigatory chamber had temporarily suspended the distribution of prize money, as information provided by the clubs to meet the deadline of June 30 revealed the presence of significant overdue payable balances. However, based on new information provided by the clubs to meet the subsequent deadline of Sept. 30 and following its investigations, the CFCB decided, given that no overdue payable balances remained, to close the cases involving the 16 clubs. As a result, conservatory measures affecting the following teams have been lifted with immediate effect: FK Željezničar (BIH), FK Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), FK Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzegovina), PFC CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria), Club Atlético de Madrid (Spain), Maccabi Netanya FC (Israel), FK Shkëndija 79 (Macedonia), Floriana FC (Malta), FK Budućnost Podgorica (Montenegro), FK Rudar Pjevlja (Montenegro), Ruch Chorzów (Poland), Sporting Clube de Portugal (Portugal), SC Vaslui (Romania), FC Rubin Kazan (Russia), Fenerbahçe SK (Turkey) and Eskişehirspor (Turkey) (UEFA).

NOT SO FAST: The AP's Graham Dunbar reported Champions League contender Malaga is facing UEFA sanctions for "failing to pay millions of dollars in players' wages on time, and will likely have some prize money withheld." Malaga, which is owned by a Qatari investor Sheik Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani, has "reportedly failed" to pay players a combined €9M ($11.6M). Team officials declined to comment (AP, 11/30).