Relegated clubs "could launch a legal challenge against their demotion from the Premier League," arguing that Sunderland "should not have escaped a points deduction for fielding an ineligible player in four separate matches," according to Burt & Hughes of the London TELEGRAPH. Fulham and Cardiff City were relegated on Saturday "following heavy defeats," while Sunderland’s 1-0 win at ManU "took them to the brink of safety." But Cardiff confirmed on Saturday night that they "had joined forces with certain other clubs and written a letter challenging the Premier League’s decision to issue only a fine to Sunderland for playing Ji Dong-won without international clearance." Norwich City, who is "in serious danger of being relegated, are understood to be one of Cardiff’s allies, and it was claimed that Fulham were another." Their action "raises the possibility of an unedifying battle between the league and the relegated clubs, in which they could demand financial compensation and may even argue Sunderland should be demoted retrospectively" (TELEGRAPH, 5/3). In London, Louise Taylor reported the Premier League "is understood to be confident that any legal attempt to reverse its decision not to dock Sunderland points for fielding an ineligible player would fail." With no Premier League appeal mechanism available, any action "would involve suing the governing body at vast expense." Logistically, it "would be virtually impossible for a case to be heard by a court before August and the start of next season." Although there has "been a string of precedents in which clubs lost points for selecting ineligible players, Premier League rules allow scope for leniency in situations such as Ji's which involve a lack of international clearance" (GUARDIAN, 5/4).
