Elche CF relegated as tax debt punishment
Sunday, June 7, 2015 @ 9:43 PM
ELCHE Football Club has been relegated from La Liga's top flight, despite finishing a comfortable 13th, over 'unpaid taxes', and Basque club Eibar FC will be promoted in their place.
The Social Discipline Judge at Spain's Professional Football League (LFP) says the Alicante province-based team is a 'repeat offender' and will be fined €180,304 as well as losing its place in the prestigious national premier division.
"Given that this is a second offence, Elche CF having been fined last season as well as this season for very serious tax non-payment, the club will be relegated in accordance with the Law of Sports and the Liga Social Statutes," reads the verdict report.
According to the LFP, Elche CF has not negotiated deferring the payment or provided guarantees for the outstanding debt with the State tax collection body, the Agencia Estatal de la Administración Tributaria (AEAT).
Ending the season 13th in the standings would have been enough to keep Elche in the primera división for next year, whilst Eibar, who only made it into the top division in the 2014-2015 season for the first time, finished 18th and had been relegated to the second division.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com