13.10.2014 16:39 h

CAS stays Santos ban pending appeal ruling

Fernando Santos
Fernando Santos

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday allowed former Greece manager Fernando Santos, now in charge of his homeland Portugal, to keep coaching pending his appeal against a FIFA ban.

"Mr. Santos is able to perform his coaching duties until the CAS arbitration concludes," the Swiss-based court said in a statement.

Santos wants the CAS to overturn an eight-match suspension handed down by FIFA for unsporting conduct during Greece's World Cup round of 16 match against Costa Rica.

The full-time score at the match in the Brazilian city of Recife was 1-1, and Costa Rica dumped Greece out of the tournament after the penalty shoot-out ended 5-3.

Santos verbally abused officials during the match, and was banned from the touchline after extra time, before being slapped with the sanction by FIFA.

Pending a final ruling on his appeal against the ban -- expected in November -- Santos had asked the CAS to grant a stay of execution of the penalty.

The move was crucial for him because he has just taken the helm of Portugal, after Paulo Bento stepped down following a shock defeat to Albania in a Euro 2016 qualifier.