05.06.2015 13:49 h

Spain's Elche relegated over tax debt

Mid-table finishing Spanish La Liga outfit Elche are to be relegated to the second division for unpaid tax, a Spanish football league judge decided on Friday.

"AS of today Elche's debts are still outstanding and no guarantee has been offered," a La Liga statement explained.

As a result Basque outfit Eibar, who finished third from bottom, will now be handed a reprieve and see Elche, who ended 13th on 41 points, go down a division instead of them.

Elche were also hit with a 180,303 euros ($202,000 dollars) fine.

On Wednesday Elche president Juan Anguix had promised to settle their 4.3 million euros ($4.8 million) debts by August 1.

"Few clubs can say they have zero debt," Anguix said in his club's defence.