Premier League considers human rights test for owners

Roman Abramovich

(Bloomberg) — The English Premier League said it could examine the human rights records of potential football club owners, following disputes over the ownership of Chelsea FC and Newcastle United FC.

A senior Premier League executive told lawmakers in a parliamentary committee that the league is in talks with human rights experts.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the United Kingdom for his ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and most of the club's businesses were frozen, while the acquisition of Newcastle in October by a Saudi-backed consortium caused Amnesty International to lobby to the richest football competition in Europe on the kingdom's human rights record.

Helen MacNamara, director of policy and corporate affairs for the Premier League, said that the current test of owners and directors is under review and that the league has spoken with Amnesty as it explores possible options.

“How would it work if we wanted to put an element of human rights proof into the process? We're trying to define and decide what that might look like,” MacNamara said.

The league's shareholders will discuss the plans in the coming weeks and months, he added.

Chelsea Sale

Upon appearing before the parliamentary committee on digital, culture, media and sports, MacNamara and the Minister of Sports, Nigel Huddleston, were questioned on issues related to the ownership of the British sports team.

Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale before the UK imposed sanctions on March 10, a process that became more urgent after the club was banned from doing regular business. MacNamara said she was “really sure that a buyer can be found” for Chelsea and that the current sales process is “quite settled”.

MacNamara said the league expects the sale to take place before May 31, when the short-term license allowing Chelsea to operate despite sanctions expires. “The government needs to issue an operating license so that the club can be sold,” he said.

Huddleston said the government will soon respond to a recent football review that looked at club ownership and recommended an independent regulator for the sport. He added to the pressure on the Premier League, saying that the current test “must be stronger”.

“The owners and directors test, as it's often called now, is really important, it's not currently working the way I think we all would like it to work and therefore needs change,” Huddleston said.

“I fully understand the points about there being an element of integrity in that.”

Original Note:

Premier League Considers Human Rights Test for Future Owners

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