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Derby County avoid relegation after EFL drops appeal

Nick Potts - PA Images / PA Images / Getty

London, July 2, 2021 (AFP) - Derby have avoided being hit with relegation from the Championship after the English Football League opted not to appeal against the club's punishment for financial breaches.

The Rams were given a £100,000 ($138,000) fine and reprimand by an independent disciplinary commission after they were found guilty of breaching financial rules.

The decision ends speculation that a retrospective points deduction could be imposed, which would have seen Derby relegated to League One and Wycombe reprieved from dropping into the third tier.

Derby finished one place and one point above third bottom Wycombe, who were relegated along with Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday.

"The EFL remains disappointed that the commission has determined that a £100,000 financial penalty is appropriate, when it was found the policy adopted for the amortisation of player registrations and the description in the notes to the annual accounts did not comply with profit and sustainability (P&S) rules," an EFL statement said on Friday.

"Alongside a financial penalty, the club received a reprimand as to its future conduct and has been ordered to submit revised and restated accounts for the years ended 30 June 2016, 30 June 2017 and 30 June 2018 to the EFL by Wednesday 18 August 2021.

"While the EFL does not agree that those sanctions are commensurate to the breaches found, following consultation with our legal advisers, the EFL board has regrettably determined that there are insufficient grounds to appeal the sanction imposed by the independent disciplinary commission."

The original charge was lodged almost 18 months ago and the club was then cleared of breaking the EFL's financial rules, although the league won an appeal against that decision earlier this year.

Derby's resubmitted accounts will be assessed in due course and the EFL has vowed to "apply the full force of the current regulations as appropriate".

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