New Football Regulator Sparks Concerns Over Foreign State Ownership of Premier League Clubs
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The potential advent of a new independent football regulator has sparked concerns among activist groups regarding the likelihood of facilitating foreign state ownership of Premier League clubs. Specifically, Clause 37 of the Football Governance Bill, which mandates the regulator to consider the UK government’s foreign and trade policy objectives when assessing the suitability of club buyers, has raised red flags. Activist groups, including FairSquare and ALQST for Human Rights, alongside fan groups, have voiced apprehensions in a letter to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lucy Frazer, and Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
The crux of their concern lies in the perceived contradiction between the regulator’s core objective of ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of English football and the potential facilitation of state-linked takeovers. Notably, the letter highlights how state-linked ownership poses a significant threat to the integrity and vitality of football, with its inherent political aims often conflicting with the clubs’ community-centric roles. This sentiment is exacerbated by historical instances of financial inflation associated with state ownership, which the regulator aims to mitigate.
Moreover, the letter underscores the failure of the government’s white paper on football governance to address the specific threat posed by state-owned clubs and the concerning prospect of British foreign policy objectives superseding the regulator’s mandate to evaluate the honesty and integrity of club owners. Reference is made to past government actions, such as facilitating the Saudi-led consortium’s takeover of Newcastle United, raising doubts about the government’s commitment to addressing the issue of state ownership.
Premier League Clubs Seek Protection from Foreign State Ownership Amidst Growing Tensions Over A New Independent Football Regulator
In response to these concerns, the government has emphasized that the regulator’s role should not extend to matters of foreign policy or inward investment policy but rather align with the government’s stance. However, the letter from activist groups emphasizes the importance of affording football clubs similar protections from foreign state investment as other critical sectors, citing recent legislation aimed at banning full foreign state ownership of media organizations.
Despite assurances from within the government that the regulator will deter unsuitable custodians while encouraging investment, concerns persist about the potential ramifications of Clause 37 and its implications for the independence and effectiveness of the regulator. As tensions mount between the regulator and Premier League clubs over the issue of state ownership, the outcome of this debate remains uncertain.
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This is indeed a great issue,those handling the English premier league has been doing a great job, I don’t see reasons why they need foreign state to own it’s.
Why
Wahala