Wigan Athletic’s appeal against a points deduction has been dismissed and the club will be playing in League One next season, it has been confirmed.
The Latics were plunged into administration at the start of July which came with a deduction of 12 points.
This penalty was applied at the end of the Championship season, which demoted the Latics from 13 th in the table and safety to 23 rd and thus into the relegation zone.
The club’s administrators, Begbies Traynor, appealed against the 12-point penalty and went before an independent tribunal last Friday.
Talks with bidders interested in buying the club, which plays its home games at the DW Stadium, are continuing.
The club acquired new owners at the start of June by Next Leader Fund, headed by Hong Kong businessman Au Yeung Wai Kay.
It was the second change of ownership in two years.
And a statement from the EFL has confirmed the deduction will stand after Wigan's appeal was dismissed
The statement reads: "An independent Arbitration panel has ruled that Wigan Athletic’s 12-point deduction for entering administration last month will stand after dismissing the Club’s appeal against the sporting sanction.
"The insolvency event occurred on the 1 July 2020 and under EFL Regulation 12.3, the Club was subject to a 12-point sanction; yet the timing of the deduction could only be determined once the final games of the season had been played.
"The reason for this approach was due to the administration taking place after the fourth Thursday in March. In such circumstances EFL Regulations state that, in the event a Club is relegated by virtue of their final position following the conclusion of the league campaign, then the deduction would apply in the following season.
"As the Club was not in the relegation places following the last round of Championship fixtures, the sanction was then applied to their 2019/20 total which resulted in a 23rd placed finish.
"In cases of insolvency, the panel does not determine the timing of the sanction as it can in independent disciplinary proceedings.
"The decision of the arbitration panel is final and legally binding.
"The EFL will continue to engage with the Administrators to provide its full support in all ongoing matters with the aim of achieving a long-term future for the Club."
A live blog with all the reaction to the appeal decision can be found here.
