Trying to win its first league title in 25 years, Servette, a Swiss soccer club, had its appeal rejected at the highest court in sports on Thursday. The appeal was regarding their failure to register two players they signed in January.
Servette brought in Omar Rekik from Arsenal and Bassirou N’Diaye from Lorient on loan deals to bolster their squad in their bid to challenge defending champion Young Boys.
However, neither player has been able to play because Servette didn’t update its squad list with the Swiss Football League by the mid-February deadline.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Servette’s urgent appeal after a quick hearing last Friday.
The Swiss league stated earlier this month that the decision to penalize Servette was due to the club’s failure to comply with the rules, not because of any issues with the regulations themselves.
Servette is currently tied on points with Young Boys with 10 games remaining, but they’re in second place due to goal difference.
The Geneva-based club has faced financial troubles in the past, having declared bankruptcy twice and been relegated twice since winning their last league title in 1999.