UEFA is under fire for what many are calling a clear case of double standards. While Crystal Palace faces punishment over ownership issues affecting European qualification, Nottingham Forest — a club in a similar ownership situation — appears to have escaped any sanctions.
Now fans and pundits alike are asking: Why the inconsistency?
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🧩 The Ownership Puzzle
UEFA rules prohibit two clubs under the same ownership or significant control from participating in the same European competition, to avoid conflicts of interest. Palace was flagged due to shared American investors also holding stakes in French club Lyon, who are also in European contention.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos — both under the control of Evangelos Marinakis — have had no such issue, despite participating in UEFA competitions in past seasons.
So why the different treatment?
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🚨 Palace: Sanctioned & Challenged
Palace was barred from European entry, pending review and legal battle, even though club representatives insisted on independent management structures between them and Lyon. They’ve since launched an appeal, arguing they are separately operated and compliant with UEFA guidelines.
UEFA, however, claims that the level of influence and overlap breached its multi-club ownership policy.
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🌳 Forest: Business As Usual
By contrast, Forest's dual ownership with Olympiacos — a club also owned by Marinakis — has rarely triggered UEFA intervention. Despite similar cross-ownership concerns, both clubs have navigated European fixtures without conflict or investigation in recent years.
Critics point out that the structure and control of the two clubs appear even more direct than Palace’s ties to Lyon.
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🔍 The Double Standard?
Analysts argue that UEFA’s rulings may be influenced by:
League status bias (Premier League vs Ligue 1 vs Greek Super League)
Commercial interests tied to certain clubs
Lack of transparency in how influence is measured
Many fans see Palace as a scapegoat, used to make an example, while other clubs quietly bypass scrutiny.
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🗣️ Fan Reactions
> “If UEFA wants to enforce the rules, fine — but do it fairly. Palace gets punished while Forest skates? It’s ridiculous,” wrote one Palace fan on X (formerly Twitter).
> “This sets a dangerous precedent. Either the rule applies to all, or it applies to none,” tweeted a football journalist.
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📌 Final Word: Until UEFA applies its rules with consistency and transparency, accusations of bias and favoritism will continue to undermine trust in European football governance.
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