- Ji Dong-won played in four league games without international clearance
- Club secretary Liz Coley sacked by owner Ellis Short after the error
- Mistake was not spotted until defeat by Man United on October 5, 2013
- Also played in Capital One Cup victory over MK Dons while ineligible
- Sunderland confessed to Premier League and received fine in October
Sunderland are in turmoil after it emerged they played an ineligible player in four Barclays Premier League matches.
Striker Ji Dong-won played against Fulham (August 17, 2013), Southampton (August 24), Crystal Palace (August 31) and Manchester United (October 5) before realising he did not have international clearance to play.
Club secretary Liz Coley was sacked by owner Ellis Short after the extraordinary administrative error left Sunderland facing a Premier League investigation.
In action: Ji Dong-Won (centre) while with Sunderland in a game against Fulham in August 2013
The Black Cats have breached Premier League rule B14.5 and U11 following the incredible error.
Sunderland are battling against relegation from the top flight and this incredible story will place the spotlight on Gus Poyet's side before their game at Tottenham on Monday evening.
Incredibly Ji also played in a 4-2 victory over MK Dons in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday, August 27 when he wasn’t eligible.
Sunderland then went on an extraordinary Capital One Cup run under new manager Gus Poyet and reached the final, where they narrowly lost to Manchester City.
MK Dons are understood to be furious that Sunderland have not been punished by the Football League by throwing them out of the competition when the error was eventually spotted.
Ji played in four matches before the administrative error was spotted by Sunderland and had helped them earn one point - against Southampton on Saturday August 24 - when the forward should not have been fielded.
Game over: Ji rounds Manchester City's Joe Hart to score the winner back in 2012
Bright future: Ji, 22, has impressed while in Germany with Augsburg
WHAT THE FOOTBALL AUTHORITIES SAY
The Premier League Handbook 2013/14 states:
Relationship between Clubs and the League
B.14.5. the statutes and regulations of FIFA.
International registration transfer certificates
U.11. An application to register a player who last played for a club affiliated to a national association other than the Football Association shall be accompanied by written confirmation from the Football Association that an international registration transfer certificate has been issued in respect of the player
According to the Football Association's Standardised Rules 2013/14:
6.9 Playing an ineligible player
Any club found to have played an ineligible player in a match shall have any points gained from that match deducted from its record and have levied upon it a fine.
The company may vary this decision in respect of the points gained only in circumstances where the ineligibility is due to the failure to obtain an International Transfer Certificate or where the ineligibility is related to the player’s status only.
The board may also order that such match be replayed on such terms as are decided by the board which may also levy penalty points against the club in default.
The South Korea striker, who joined Sunderland in 2011, was sent out on loan to German club Augsburg last season.
When he returned Sunderland had to wait for international clearance before he could play for them again, but they never got it.
Instead former manager Paolo di Canio selected him for the four fixtures and the mistake was not spotted until they had lost 2-1 at home to Manchester United on Saturday October 5.
Sunderland immediately confessed and were fined under-radar by the Premier League board in December.
Although it is understood that the fine is substantial, fellow relegation strugglers will believe that the integrity of the Premier League has been questioned.
According to the official Premier League handbook, rule B14. states 'membership of the League shall constitute an agreement between the League and clubs and (comply) with... B.14.5: the statutes and regulations of FIFA;'
Rule U11 applies to international registration and transfer certificates, which states:
'U.11. An application to register a player who last played for a club affiliated to a national association other than the Football Association shall be accompanied by written confirmation from the Football Association that an international registration transfer certificate has been issued in respect of the player.'
Sunderland did not have the written confirmation from the German FA that the player's international clearance had been received.
It meant that he should not have played in any of Sunderland's fixtures - in the Premier League or FA Cup - until they had received international clearance.
Sunderland are 19th in the League with 25 points and are facing a massive battle against relegation to the Championship.
Outbound: Ji was a Sunderland player between June 2011 and January 2014
Scandal: Liz Coley (left) has left Sunderland in the wake of the furore surrounding Ji (pictured with Augsburg)
Vital: Emanuele Giaccherini scored early for Sunderland to grab a point against Southampton in August
According to the FA statutes, Sunderland should have been deducted points or made to replay the game against Southampton - where they won a point - for failing to gain the appropriate clearance.
The FA rules state: 'Any
club found to have played an ineligible player in a match shall have
any points gained from that match deducted from its record and have
levied upon it a fine.
'The company may vary this decision in respect of the points gained only in
circumstances where the ineligibility is due to the failure to obtain an
International Transfer Certificate or where the ineligibility is
related to the player’s status only.
'The board may also order that such match be replayed on such terms as are decided by the board which may also levy penalty points against the club in default.'
PRECEDENT FOR PREVIOUS BREACHES OF THE RULES
December 1999
West Ham’s Manny Omoyinmi (below) came on as a 113th-minute substitute of the League Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa, which the Hammers won on penalties. Omoyinmi had already played in the competition while on loan at Gillingham and the tie was rearranged. Villa won the second match 3-1.
May 2010
Hartlepool were deducted three points and received a suspended £10,000 fine after playing Gary Liddle in a 2-0 win over Brighton. Liddle should have been serving a suspension after picking up 10 bookings.
April 2011
Hereford and Torquay were both docked points for fielding ineligible players in the same League Two match. Hereford won 3-1, with their ineligible player scoring once, and were deducted three points and fined £10,000. Torquay lost a point and were fined £7,500.
February 2012
Tottenham were kicked out of the NextGen youth series after fielding an ineligible player and Liverpool took their place.
December 2013
Birmingham withdrew from the Under 21 Premier League Cup after on-loan Aaron Mclean (pictured below with Hull City) scored twice as they beat Newcastle to move into the last 16. But Mclean had played for his parent club Hull in the second qualifying round.
PS. Sunderland were the first league club to be deducted points. In 1890, goalkeeper John ‘Ned’ Doig played for them but his registration had not met the seven day notice required.
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