Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors had their appeal against being banned from this year's AFC Champions League rejected by CAS ©Getty Images

South Korean football club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have lost their appeal to be reinstated in this year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.

The K-League outfit had taken their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the AFC banned them from the competition due to their part in a bribery scandal back in 2013.

However, CAS announced today they had rejected the appeal.

"Accordingly, at this stage, the challenged decision remains in force and the Korean club remains ineligible to participate in the AFC Champions League 2017," a statement from CAS added.

The bribes given to two referees in 2013 by a club scout totaled five million won (£3,492/$4,355/€4,060) ©Getty Images
The bribes given to two referees in 2013 by a club scout totaled five million won (£3,492/$4,355/€4,060) ©Getty Images

Jeonbuk won their domestic league in 2014 and 2015, but in September were handed a nine point deduction and fined $121,170 (£97,200/€112,900).

It came after details emerged of bribes totaling five million won (£3,492/$4,355/€4,060) made by a club scout to two referees in 2013.

The Koreans are the current AFC Champions League holders and contested the FIFA World Club Cup in December, where they were knocked out by Mexican side Club America in the quarter-finals.

This year’s AFC Champions League is due to begin on February 20 and the two-legged final is scheduled for November.