Leeds United promotion bid given big boost by UEFA

LEEDS UNITED have received another clear boost to their currently halted promotion bid from UEFA.
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United's quest to secure Premier League football for the first time since 2004 remains on pause with the EFL season currently suspended amidst the country's battle against coronavirus and strict social distancing measures.

The UK will stay on lockdown until at least May 7 but the EFL have already stated their intention to fulfil their remaining fixtures over a 56-day time-frame in the summer months when safe to do so.

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The assumption is that games will be played behind closed doors and the EFL have already earmarked May 16 as a possible date for clubs to return to training.

BOOST: For Leeds United from UEFA under their president Aleksander Ceferin. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images.BOOST: For Leeds United from UEFA under their president Aleksander Ceferin. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images.
BOOST: For Leeds United from UEFA under their president Aleksander Ceferin. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images.

It has, though, been a varying picture with other leagues throughout Europe with some stating a desire to end campaigns early, leading to much debate as to how standings should be settled or if seasons are declared null and void.

Leeds would be promoted if current standings stood or if the Championship was decided on a points per game basis but another season in the second tier would await should the campaign be declared null and void.

UEFA, though, have again stated their desire to see their European leagues complete their seasons when safe to do so with restarting under a different format then preferred to a null and void option as back up.

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Following another meeting on Thursday with its association members via videoconference, a statement from UEFA outlined a "strong recommendation to complete top tier domestic competitions" and read: "UEFA urges National Associations and Leagues to explore all possible options to play all top domestic competitions giving access to UEFA club competitions to their natural conclusion.

"However, UEFA stresses that the health of players, spectators and all those involved in football as well as the public at large must remain the primary concern at this time.

"The ideal scenario, should the pandemic situation permit it, is to have the currently suspended domestic competitions completed enabling football clubs to qualify for UEFA club competitions on sporting merit in their original format.

"Should this outcome not be possible, in particular due to calendar issues, it would be preferable that suspended domestic competitions would restart with a different format in a manner which would still facilitate clubs to qualify on sporting merit."

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UEFA also say they acknowledge that while using best efforts to complete the domestic competitions, National Associations and/or Leagues might have legitimate reasons to prematurely terminate their domestic competitions, in particular in the following cases:

• existence of an official order prohibiting sports events so that the domestic competitions cannot be completed before a date that would make it possible to complete the current season in good time before the next season to start.

• insurmountable economic problems which make finishing the season impossible because it would put at risk the long-term financial stability of the domestic competition and/or clubs.

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