An independent disciplinary panel has stripped Southampton of their place in the Premier League play-offs after the team was found to have spied on Middlesbrough, who had been knocked out in the semi-finals. Instead, Middlesbrough will have the chance to secure a place in the English top flight in Saturday's final against Hull.
Southampton admitted the crime, but appealed as they considered the punishment to be disproportionate.
"When Leeds United were fined £200,000 for a similar breach, Southampton are being denied the opportunity to play a match worth more than £200 million," the club said in a statement.
However, on Wednesday evening, the English league organization EFL announced that the appeal had been rejected.
