Cardiff say they have prepared “separate legal action” against Nantes over the Emiliano Sala transfer, with the matter now set to be resolved in the French courts.
The Swiss Federal Tribunal has ruled the Court of Arbitration for Sport does not have the power to deal with Cardiff’s claim for damages against Nantes.
Sala died when the light aircraft he was travelling in from France crashed into the English Channel in January 2019, two days after Cardiff had announced the signing of the 28-year-old Argentinian forward.
Nantes’ claim for the first six million euros (just over £5m) of the £15m transfer fee was upheld by CAS last August.
A statement from the Welsh club read: “The Swiss Federal Tribunal has decided the Court of Arbitration for Sport does not have jurisdiction to deal with Cardiff City’s claim for damages against FC Nantes.
“This is not a surprise and the club has already prepared separate legal action against them which will be started straight away.”
Cardiff maintain that “FC Nantes must be held responsible for the accident” which they allege was “organised by their agent”.
“This will be to recover what the club paid for Emiliano and additional damages for further consequential losses,” Cardiff added.
FIFA originally imposed a three-window transfer embargo on Cardiff after their failure to pay the initial instalment of the Sala fee.
The embargo was lifted after Cardiff paid the first instalment in January.
The Swiss Federal Tribunal said in its published judgement: “It appears that the procedural rules applicable to the FIFA CSJ (Player Status Commission, or Commission de Statut de Joueur) were designed to assure a rapid and inexpensive resolution of disputes.
“Article 25 of the RSTJ (Reglement du Statut et du Transfert du Joueustates) that the CSJ must give its decision in no more than 60 days and costs cannot exceed 25,000 francs.
“That objective would be compromised if it was determined that the CSJ was required to rule on any claim brought before it, including when this has no connection with football regulations.
“The CSJ, in its capacity as a judicial body specialising in certain aspects of football regulations, has neither the expertise nor the means to rule, as in this case, on legally complex issues with international elements unconnected to football.
“The capping of costs at a relatively low amount of 25,000 francs is a further indication that it is not the CSJ’s role to examine claims requiring wide-ranging aeronautical expertise to determine the causes of a plane crash.
“The (CAS) panel underlines that its own jurisdiction presupposes that the CSJ itself had jurisdiction over the claim invoked.
“In other words, when an appeal is made to CAS, it can only examine the claim for compensation if the judicial body called upon in the first instance, in this case the CSJ, was itself able to do so.”
Campbell gives Sheffield United victory in Steel City derby, Rodriguez strikes late for Burnley
Sheffield United joined leaders Sunderland at the top of the Championship table after a hard-fought 1-0 win against local rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
After a goalless first half, Tyrese Campbell latched onto a pass from Callum O'Hare and slotted past Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle for the winner five minutes into the second period.
This was the Blades' sixth consecutive clean sheet at Bramall Lane and their fourth straight win home or away, and sees them go level with Sunderland on 31 points from 15 matches.
Meanwhile, Burnley are four points behind the top two after they snatched a last-gasp 1-0 victory against visitors Swansea City.
Jay Rodriguez's stoppage-time penalty secured the points for the Clarets at Turf Moor, ending their four-match winless run and climbing to fourth in the table.
Leeds close gap on Championship leaders Sunderland
Leeds United closed the gap on Championship leaders Sunderland after Regis Le Bris' side collapsed at home to Coventry City on Saturday.
Daniel Farke's side moved to within two points of Sunderland after coasting to a 2-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road.
Jayden Bogle sliced home after 19 minutes for Leeds, who made sure of victory in stoppage time as Joel Piroe came off the bench to score.
There was no such success for Sunderland despite Wilson Isidor and Dennis Cirkin both finding the net in the first half at the Stadium of Light.
Haji Wright pulled one back for Coventry, who dismissed long-term boss Mark Robins this week, just past the hour before Jack Rudoni snatched a 2-2 comeback draw with six minutes remaining.
At the other end of the table, Portsmouth managed just their second victory of the season with a 3-1 triumph over Preston North End at Fratton Park.
Josh Murphy and Connor Ogilvie were both on target in the first half before Colby Bishop's late penalty sealed victory after Emil Riis Jakobsen had reduced the deficit for Paul Heckingbottom's visitors.
Victory moved Portsmouth up to 23rd in the league, two points ahead of bottom side QPR and within three points of safety.
Fellow strugglers Plymouth Argyle also gained a point as Adam Randell's 41st-minute strike cancelled out Jerry Yates' early opener for Derby County at Pride Park.
The 1-1 draw leaves Wayne Rooney's side 16th in the table, but just one point clear of the relegation zone, while Derby sit comfortably 12th.
Norwich City dropped down the table in Saturday's other game, suffering their first home defeat in the league in 22 games after a 2-0 reverse against Bristol City at Carrow Road.
Anis Mehmeti and Nakhi Wells scored in either half for Liam Manning's visitors, who moved into 10th with a victory that left them just two points shy of the play-off positions.
Middlesbrough hit five against Luton to pile pressure on Edwards
Middlesbrough moved into the Championship play-off spots, brushing aside struggling Luton Town 5-1 to add to the pressure on Rob Edwards.
Delano Burgzorg netted his first two Championship goals for Boro, opening the scoring with a well-worked corner in the 30th minute before Emmanuel Latte Lath skilfully added a second before the break.
Finn Azaz set up the second and added a third just six minutes into the second half, before Burgzorg's second put the game beyond the visitors in the 54th minute.
Jordan Clark's strike was nothing more than a consolation as Luton's misery was further compounded by Azaz's stunning curling finish with three minutes left.
If results go Middlesbrough's way, they could keep their place in the top six going into the international break, but Luton are 20th after registering their eighth loss since returning to the second tier.
Elsewhere, Cardiff City missed their chance to move clear of the relegation zone after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, who ended a three-match losing streak on the road.
Andreas Wiemann scored early on in both halves, tapping in both from close range to give Blackburn the advantage.
David Turnbull gave Cardiff hope, turning in the rebound of his own saved penalty, but Lewis Baker's late effort wrapped up the result in the 86th minute, moving John Eustace’s side up to ninth.
Ben Gibson salvaged a point for Stoke City against Millwall, ending the visitors’ four-match winning run.
Josh Coburn had given Millwall the lead from very close range shortly before the break, netting with their first shot on target, but Stoke fought back thanks to Gibson's flicked header from a corner.
The Potters are up to 11th for now, while Millwall leapfrog West Brom into seventh.
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