MADRID, Spain — Croatia was penalized points and fined an undisclosed amount for playing Davis Cup matches against Brazil on a court that failed to meet international standards.

Croatia will lose 2,000 points as part of the Davis Cup Committee's ruling reached in Madrid on Sept. 23, the International Tennis Federation said Thursday.

Croatia's victory over Brazil will stand.

Croatia returned to the elite World Group with a 4-1 playoff victory over Brazil in the Sept. 19-21 series on an indoor hard court at the Sportski Centar Visnjik stadium at Zadar.

The ITF said Croatia violated the federation's "court pace rating rule," which assesses the speed of surfaces other than grass and clay. It's the first such case involving the rule, which was implemented this year.

"There is a maximum and minimum pace that you are allowed to have," ITF spokeswoman Barbara Travers said. "The Croatian court had a number that was just over the limit."

The ITF rejected Brazil's appeal to have Croatia disqualified, the victory awarded to Brazil and financial compensation paid to Brazil.

The committee said the appeal was turned down because "the court was playable and the ... Brazilian Federation did not appeal until well into the second day of the tie."

Brazil can still appeal the decision to the ITF's board of directors.

Croatia, which has 11,025.63 points in the Davis Cup standings, will remain in fifth ahead of Sweden despite the point deduction.