Turkish giants Fenerbahce got the go-ahead to participate in next season's Champions League on Friday despite ongoing legal proceedings against several club officials regarding their involvement in a widespread match-fixing scandal.
"UEFA's Control and Disciplinary committee has decided to admit our club to the 2012-13 Champions League," read a statement from the club's management on the Fenerbahce website, which added that they had been notified of the decision on Friday by UEFA.
The move comes with club president Aziz Yildirim still in custody in an Istanbul prison awaiting a verdict along with 92 other officials.
The investigation, which began in the spring of 2011, focusses on suspicions of cheating during first and second division matches during the 2010-11 season.
Last month the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) cleared 16 clubs and dozens of suspects but condemned eight club officials and two players to suspensions ranging from one to three years.
The scandal shocked Turkish football and led the TFF to exclude Fenerbahce from Europe's top club competition last season.
Source: AFP
