FIFA said on Friday that the Valais cantonal court had ruled that Sion can no longer field six players signed during the ban in the summer, a decision seen as a setback to the club's attempts to get reinstated to the Europa League through a separate lawsuit.
It could also leave Sion open to further sanctions and a possible loss of points from matches in which the players were fielded.
The case began when Sion signed six new players in the summer despite being subject to a transfer ban imposed after FIFA found the club guilty of poaching Egyptian goalkeeper Essam Al Hadari from Cairo's Al Ahli in 2008.
"The Valais cantonal court in Sion overturned the decision of the Civil Court of Martigny and St. Maurice of August 3 in its entirety and fully upheld the appeal submitted by FIFA and the Swiss Football League," said FIFA in a statement.
"The Cantonal Court has thus indirectly taken the same view as FIFA and the SFL and its ruling has indirectly confirmed the legality of the transfer ban FIFA imposed on Olympique des Alpes (Sion)."
FIFA recognised the original decision in Martigny had "resulted in numerous further proceedings as well as uncertainty with regard to the fielding of the players in national and international football."
Sion made no mention of the outcome on its web page, which had trumpeted the club's earlier court successes.
Sion then won an injunction at another court, in Vaud canton where UEFA headquarters is based, ordering the club's reinstatement to the competition.
UEFA said it could not comply but was fined and its president Michel Platini, later described as a "court jester" by Sion President Christian Constantin, appeared before a public prosecutor to explain why the ruling had not been implemented.
