O/T:- Independent Football Regulator

[ncfcog]

English football needs an independent regulator to stop it "lurching from crisis to crisis", says the chair of a fan-led review into the sport.

Former sports minister Tracey Crouch is calling on the government to create a new independent regulator for English football (IREF).

The review says this is necessary for the long-term financial stability of the men's professional game.
"This is a huge opportunity for football," Crouch told BBC Sport.

"We've seen football lurching from crisis to crisis over the past decade and unfortunately we haven't had the right levels of regulation in place to stop that from happening."

BBC Sport understands that Downing Street will support the plan for an independent regulator.

Speaking to BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Crouch added that the recommendations were to remove "vested interests" from football to ensure it can "become sustainable for the long-term future".

The review, which was commissioned by the government, also recommends Premier League clubs paying a "solidarity transfer levy" to further support the football pyramid.

It suggests clubs should have a 'shadow board' of fans so they are properly consulted on key decisions and that supporters hold a 'golden share' to protect their clubs' heritage and which competitions they play in.

The review also proposes new owners' and directors' tests and that these are carried out by IREF instead of the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and the Football Association (FA).

Crouch said she is "absolutely confident" that such measures would stop any revival of the failed European Super League or a similar breakaway competition and would prevent a club going bust in the manner Bury FC did in 2019.

She added she is "extremely optimistic" the government will support the idea of an independent regulator but said legislation will not be in place by the start of next season.

However, she said a 'shadow regulator' could be set up 'straight away' to establish the guiding principles for IREF.

The Premier League said it recognises the need to "restore and retain" the trust of fans in football governance and that it will study the recommendations before working with the government, fans, FA and EFL on these issues.

The EFL said it hopes the review is a "catalyst for positive change that can make clubs sustainable".

The FA said "many positive changes have already been made", some of which were "directly as a result" of the review.
The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) said the review "lay the basis for a prosperous and sustainable future" for English football at all levels.

What is being recommended?

The report makes 47 recommendations, which are summed up in 10 major points:

• The government should create a new independent regulator (IREF)
  
  
• IREF should oversee financial regulation in football
  
  
• IREF should establish new owners' and directors' tests
  
  
• A new corporate governance code should be set up
  
  
• Equality, diversity and inclusion plans should be mandatory for all clubs
  
  
• Supporters should be consulted on all key off-field decisions through a 'shadow board'
  
  
• Key items of club heritage should be protected by a 'golden share' for fans
  
  
• There should be more support from the Premier League to the pyramid through a solidarity transfer levy, paid by Premier League clubs on buying players from overseas or other top-flight clubs
  
  
• Women's football should be treated equally and given its own review
  
  
• Stakeholders should work to increase protection of welfare of players leaving the game
  
  

The Premier League's owners' and directors' test has come under scrutiny recently following the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle.

Amnesty International has urged the league to change the test to address human rights issues, with the Saudi state accused of human rights abuses.

The Premier League said it has "legally-binding assurances" the Saudi state has no direct control over Newcastle, despite the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has an 80% stake, being chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Western intelligence agencies believe the crown prince approved the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which he denies.

The review did not state whether human rights issues would be considered in the new proposed tests but did say owners and directors must be of "good character" to pass.

Crouch said she did not know if the new tests would have blocked the Newcastle takeover but added they would have ensured "greater transparency".

The Premier League and EFL agreed a £250m rescue package for EFL clubs in light of the Covid-19 pandemic in December last year, before the top flight made another £25m available to Leagues One and Two and the National League last week.

The review says the proposed transfer levy will add to that and work in a similar way to stamp duty
in order to "distribute revenues across the pyramid and into grassroots".Crouch said the Premier League "has a duty" to pass more of its wealth down - but that both it and the EFL need to come to a decision on what the levy percentage should be.

If they cannot agree, she said IREF will make the decision on their behalf.

_______________________________________
From the BBC . . .

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59406087

[nw6pie]

Saw the response from someone at Aston Villa who said PL teams were already stretched and couldn’t possibly contribute any more to small clubs - said without any sense of irony in a week where they have just struck a £2 billion TV rights deal with NBC Sports in the U.S.

[sidders]

The first act of this Tory government I approve of. It could improve the game beyond recognition but it's hard to get away from the belief that in the end big money wins.

[legs77]

Saw the response from someone at Aston Villa who said PL teams were already stretched and couldn’t possibly contribute any more to small clubs - said without any sense of irony in a week where they have just struck a £2 billion TV rights deal with NBC Sports in the U.S.

Yeah it sounds a dumb statement but when you think about there is LOTS of bang average players picking up £50k a week.

They badly need the tv money to survive / carry on paying these wages and fees.

Plus ALL clubs are greedy and take what they can its not right but as Sid says money talks.

[magpie_mania]

All sounds good on paper, but has the PL gone past the point of no return?

How can they know for certain that SA don't have control over Newcastle? Whyever would the PIF take an 80% stake?

Money trumps everything and whatever they decide, that will never change.

I really don't believe it is the end of the Euro League. It will be back in a different format. It is already called the Champions League where it was the European Cup. Subtle change but I find it hard to believe it isn't the thin edge of the wedge.

[queenslandpie]

Sounds wonderful but the reality is a that a lot of the businesses that will stand to lose will have vested interests in politics elsewhere. When donations start drying up and so on and so forth the policy will fast become watered down and meaningless like it always does. Unless there is root and branch independent reform of footballs governing bodies not much will change and this stuff will end up barely being one branch mark my words.