Polish FA Chair Zbigniew Boniek said that Scottish Premiership side Celtic "hid" from calls and emails from Legia Warsaw about the "ineligible player that cost the Polish club their place in the Champions League," according to Oliver Todd of the London DAILY MAIL. Celtic was "gifted a place in the play-off round of Europe's top tier competition despite losing 6-1 on aggregate to Legia in the third qualifying round -- courtesy of an admin mistake with the victors bringing on an ineligible player." Legia was stripped of its Champions League status and Boniek claims Celtic "were unreachable as the saga unravelled, with calls and emails that could have seen their opponents put through ignored." Boniek said that Celtic's consent "would have seen Legia allowed to stay in the competition but Celtic simply disappeared off the radar on the day." Boniek said, "Had Celtic officially given up their place, Legia could have stayed in Champions League. Celtic were unreachable that day. Didn't return the calls or reply to e-mails. They just hid and waited." Legia is "expected to launch an appeal against UEFA's decision" (DAILY MAIL, 8/9).
