Leicester loses appeal against points deduction and remains at risk of relegation to 3rd tier

LONDON (AP) — Leicester has lost its bid to overturn a six-point deduction imposed for breaching spending rules. The ruling keeps Leicester, which defied 5,000-to-1 odds to win the Premier League title a decade ago, one point from safety in the second-tier Championship with five games left in the season. The deduction was imposed in February after the Foxes were found to have breached the English Football League’s financial rules in the 2023-24 season, which saw it promoted to the top flight. The Premier League said in a statement Wednesday that the sanction “has been upheld by an independent Appeal Board.” Leicester on Monday missed a chance to move out of the relegation zone by settling for a 1-1 draw with last-place Sheffield Wednesday. “With the matter now at an end and five games of the season remaining, everyone at the club is fully focused on the matches in front of us and on shaping the outcome of our season through our results on the pitch,” Leicester said in a statement Wednesday. “We know this has been a challenging period," it continued, "and we thank our supporters for the backing they continue to give the team. The responsibility now is to ensure these remaining games are approached with the focus and intent our current situation demands.” \\\_ AP soccer: