FIFA wins case against Sion players

On 3 August 2011, the civil court of Martigny and St. Maurice ordered FIFA, FIFA subsidiary Transfer Matching System GmbH and the Swiss Football League (SFL) to allow six Olympique des Alpes SA (FC Sion) players to be fielded with immediate effect. The ruling was confirmed by the same judge on 27 September 2011. The decisions of the civil court resulted in numerous further proceedings as well as uncertainty with regard to the fielding of the players in national and international football. In a ruling of 16 November 2011, the Valais cantonal court in Sion overturned the decision of the Civil Court of Martigny and St. Maurice of 3 August 2011 in its entirety and fully upheld the appeal submitted by FIFA and the SFL. The Cantonal Court has thus indirectly taken the same view as FIFA and the SFL and its ruling has indirectly confirmed the legality of the transfer ban FIFA imposed on Olympique des Alpes SA.