Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has expressed his outrage over UEFA's decision to demote the club from the Europa League to the Conference League due to breaches of multi-club ownership rules. Parish described this ruling as "the biggest injustice in the history of football," following a tumultuous week for the club after they were informed of their exclusion for the upcoming season.

The controversy stems from the ownership of Palace by American businessman John Textor, who also holds a majority stake in French club Lyon. UEFA's regulations prevent clubs with shared ownership from competing in the same European tournaments. Despite Palace's contention that Textor does not exert decisive influence over the club, UEFA ruled against them, stating they had missed a crucial deadline for restructuring ownership arrangements.

Parish voiced his disappointment in a statement to Sky Sports, emphasizing the broader implications of this decision for football fans. He stated, "We're devastated... It's a bad day for football. It's a terrible injustice." The chairman further insisted that the ruling was based on a "ridiculous technicality" and called for solidarity among supporters of all clubs regarding the situation.

In light of this decision, Nottingham Forest is poised to take Palace's place in the Europa League, having finished seventh in the Premier League last season. Palace has indicated plans to appeal UEFA's ruling through the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to overturn what they perceive as an unjust outcome.

Parish highlighted that the rules intended to prevent collusion in European football were not meant to penalize clubs like Palace, who operate independently. He reaffirmed their commitment to contest the ruling, stating, "This is a ludicrous decision. We will ask the appeal court to listen to our argument."

As the club navigates this challenging situation, the implications of the ruling extend beyond just the team, impacting the integrity of competition and the spirit of fairness in football.