CF Benidorm have been deducted three points after the Valencian Football Federation (FFCV) ruled that the club fielded an ineligible player during their 3–2 away victory over CFUD Calpe on December 20.
The decision follows separate appeals lodged by CFUD Calpe and SC Torrevieja. At the centre of the case was Benidorm striker Cobo Santos, who had been sent off on Matchday 14 against CFI Alicante, but was subsequently included in the squad for the following league fixture against Calpe on Matchday 15.
Benidorm believed the player’s suspension was served when he was omitted from their La Nostra Copa tie against UD Benissa. However, after reviewing the case, the FFCV ruled against the club, overturning the result to a 3–0 defeat and imposing a three-point deduction.
In a statement, the governing body said that the charge against the club had been “conclusively proven,” citing negligence in allowing Cobo Santos to play until the 90th minute before he was substituted.
The ruling has sparked debate among supporters, with Benidorm fan Duncan Oldham describing the regulations as confusing. He pointed out that the FFCV Disciplinary Code states that a straight red card suspension must be served in the club’s next official match. In Benidorm’s case, that was the La Nostra Copa fixture, from which the player was excluded.
However, Circular 11 — the specific regulation governing La Nostra Copa — classifies the competition as independent from the league. The Federation interprets this to mean that league suspensions must be served in league matches and cannot be discharged in cup competitions, a distinction that ultimately proved costly for the league leaders.
Despite the sanction, CF Benidorm remain top of the table, although their lead over second-placed SC Torrevieja has now been cut to just one point.
