UEFA overturn Porto's Champions League ban, says official

LISBON (AFP) - European football's ruling body UEFA have overturned their decision to ban former European champions FC Porto from next season's Champions League, according to an official from the Portuguese club.

UEFA last week barred the reigning Portuguese champions from competing in next season's lucrative competition after they were recently found guilty of a match-fixing scandal, relating to events during the 2004 season.

However after a meeting with UEFA top brass, FC Porto delegate Adelino Caldeira told Portuguese television Friday: "The decision from June 4 has been overturned."

UEFA said that in the light of "new evidence" being provided by the club, they had decided to defer the case, although UEFA said a final decision would be made at a later date.

A statement on uefa.com said: "The UEFA Appeals Body met today to hear the appeal filed by FC Porto against the decision taken by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on Wednesday 4 June, in which the Portuguese club was not admitted to the UEFA Champions League 2008/09.

"The Appeals Body decided, in the light of new evidence submitted in relation to domestic Portuguese appeals procedures, to refer the matter back to the Control and Disciplinary Body for reassessment.

"Having listened to representatives of FC Porto, the Portuguese F.A., Benfica SL and Vitoria SC, as well as UEFA, the Appeals Body decided to annul the challenged decision.

"The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body will meet next week to take a decision on admission of FC Porto to the UEFA Champions League season 2008/09. The date of the meeting will be communicated in due course."

FC Porto was fined 150,000 euros, docked six points, the club's president Jorge Pinto da Costa was suspended for two years and Boavista were relegated to the second division for their part in match-fixing.

Along with being barred from the world's richest club competition, the sanctions were expected to hit FC Porto hard in financial terms.

Portuguese financial daily Jornal de Negocios warned last week the club's Champions League exclusion would likely cost them 13 million euros in lost revenues.