Football
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CAS lifts Partizan Belgrade's three-year UEFA ban after they pay tax debt

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has overturned Partizan Belgrade's three-year ban from European club football after the Serbian side presented new evidence to show they have settled their national tax debts.

Partizan, currently second in the Serbian SuperLiga, were given the ban by UEFA in December for breaching club licensing and financial fair play rules, which state all clubs must be up to date on tax payments.

But, according to a statement from CAS, sport's highest court, the club presented "new evidence which clarified FK Partizan's overdue payables position with the Serbian tax authority.''

The statement added: "On this basis, the parties have agreed the exclusion imposed by [UEFA] shall be deemed to have been made conditional on the club's timely payment of the other overdue payables identified as at Sept. 30, 2016.

"Taking into account the fact that FK Partizan has satisfied this condition, the club will be eligible to compete in future UEFA club competitions.''

Partizan played in the Europa League this season but lost in the second qualifying round to Polish side Zaglebie Lubin on penalties.

The club, however, have a proud history in European competition, being the first Yugoslav and Serbian side to play in the European Cup in 1955 and the first east European side to make that competition's final when they lost to Real Madrid in 1966.

They are also the only Serbian club to reach the group stages of the Champions League, having done so in the 2003-04 and 2010-11 seasons.

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