Tottenham Hotspur exit UEFA Europa Conference League after forfeiting Rennes game

London [UK], December 20 (ANI): UEFA on Monday announced that Tottenham Hotspur postponed fixture against Rennes in the Europa Conference League would be deemed as a forfeit.
This means that the Premier League club have been eliminated from the Europa Conference League and there will be no European football for the London-based club in the new year.
Initially, following several positive cases of COVID-19 that were identified from players and staff of Tottenham Hotspur FC, the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Stade Rennais FC - scheduled to be played on December 9 in London, United Kingdom - could not be played.
The matter was then submitted to the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, for a decision to be taken in accordance with Annex J of the Regulations of the UEFA Europa Conference League (2021/22 Season). Based on the Article 30 (4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations and given the urgent circumstances of the matter, the ad-hoc chairman of the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body referred the case to the Appeals Body.
The statement from UEFA read: "The Chairman of the UEFA Appeals Body took the following decision: To declare the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Stade Rennais FC, that was initially scheduled to be played on December 9, 2021, as forfeited by Tottenham Hotspur FC, who is therefore deemed to have lost the match 0-3 in accordance with Annex J.3.1 to the Regulations of the UEFA Europa Conference League (2021/22 Season)."
UEFA's latest ruling sees Antonio Conte's side lose the game 3-0 via forfeit and thus finishing third in Group G. (ANI)