FC TWENTE HAVE been banned from playing European football for three years over their attempt to break world football’s rules regarding third-party ownership of players.
The Dutch FA took the decision after it said it was “deliberately misled” by Twente about a deal to sell the transfer rights of a player to a Malta-based investor.
Third party player ownership is banned by Fifa and the punishment relates to Twente’s failure to reveal details of an ownership contract with Doyen-Sports Investments.
FC Twente won their only Eredivisie title under Steve McLaren in 2010 but are currently third from bottom of the Dutch top flight.
The club, which has also been hit with a €45,250 fine, will not appeal the ruling but are in danger of ruling their professional status if they do not co-operate fully with the ongoing independent investigation into the deal.
