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Premier League sets new rules to vet club owners and directors

Premier League owners and directors test
The Premier League has set new rules to test club owners and directors. | PHOTO: Sky Sports |
  • The Premier League has set new regulations for vetting potential club owners and directors
  • The League in a statement on Thursday outlined the new regulations for The owners’ and directors’ test (OADT)
  • The new regulations will be able to disqualify club owners and directors for human rights violations

According to new regulations announced on Thursday, the Premier League will be able to disqualify club owners and directors for human rights violations.

One of the outcomes of a shareholders’ gathering was that the league tightened restrictions on who could own and control its clubs.

It was stated that there would be more clarity and transparency. This is regarding due diligence in the case of takeovers, as well as annual checks to ensure directors stayed compliant.

The owners’ and directors’ test (OADT) has in the recent past come under fire. Primarily but not solely because of the influx of money pouring into the league from overseas. This is in mind, massive investments in Premier League clubs coming primarily from the United States and the Middle East.

Premier League

The Premier League has set new rules to vet potential owners and directors of Premier League clubs including disqualifying them for human rights violations. | PHOTO: Sky Sports |

Manchester United could feel the Premier League owners’ and directors’ test first

This update comes as Manchester United, the Premier League’s most successful club, is being courted by rich potential buyers from all over the world for a possible takeover.

The league stated that it had conducted a comprehensive review. It also stated that clubs agreed that the changes should go into effect immediately. All decisions are reviewed by an independent panel.

READ: Manchester United takeover: Bidders to meet the club this week

It stated that the threshold for determining who controlled a club would be reduced from 30% to 25%. Furthermore, chief executives would be among those falling “within the scope of the OADT.”

Along with human rights violations, which the league said would be based on the UK government’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020, it was determined that being subject to government sanctions would count as a disqualifying event.

The Premier League removed Roman Abramovich as proprietor of Chelsea in March of last year. This came shortly after the oligarch was sanctioned by the government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As a result, the club was sold to a group headed by American Todd Boehly.

ALSO READ: What Premier League owners’ and directors’ test changes mean to Manchester United

Under the new guidelines, anyone convicted of violence, corruption, fraud, tax evasion, or hate crimes faces disqualification. Furthermore, anyone under investigation for potentially disqualifying event risks being barred from becoming a club member.

In the midst of a number of additional disqualifying circumstances, it was also decided that the Premier League should clearly reveal who has been disqualified, as well as compile an annual “report of compliance.”

Premier League matches will resume this weekend. This is after a two-week international break.

Nathan Sialah is a journalist by profession with interest in politics, sports, cryptocurrency and human interests with 5 years experience in Radio and Digital Journalism. This has helped Sialah develop a responsible approach to any task he undertakes or any situation that he is presented with.

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