Selling Man United would put European football to the test

GENEVA (AP) — The sale of Manchester United will test European soccer rules designed to protect the sport against the risks of a single owner controlling multiple clubs and compromising the integrity of matches.

Three highly anticipated offers to acquire the most successful club in the English league are linked to other established teams in UEFA competitions such as the Champions League, or harbor ambitions to rub shoulders with the elite.

The sovereign state funds of Qatar and Saudi Arabia have already acquired Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle respectively. Meanwhile, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, a United fan, owns Nice in France.

The funds and Ratcliffe would now contest the purchase of United.

Twenty-five years ago, UEFA fought the first legal battle against timeshare and only this month warned of the risks this model poses regarding possible collusion on the pitch and the transfer of players.

European football’s governing body has rules that prohibit clubs from entering its competitions if their owners have “decisive influence” over two qualifying teams.

A key case was settled in June 2017, following an investigation into Red Bull-owned Leipzig and Salzburg. UEFA allowed both teams to participate in the next Champions League.

RULES

Article 5 of the UEFA competition regulations – Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League – talks about integrity and time sharing.

Clubs may not own shares in or control the management of another club participating in UEFA competitions, and natural or legal persons may not own or control more than one club.

It is defined as “being able to exercise decisive influence by any means in the decision-making of a club”.

Ratcliffe’s company, INEOS, is said to have a clear conflict of interest.

Qatar’s proposal, unveiled on Friday, is led by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) and son of a former prime minister.

It would be difficult to prove that the Sheikh’s investment vehicle is entirely separate from the state-backed interests that fund Qatar Sports Investment at PSG.

PREVIOUS CASES

In the 1997-98 European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals, three of the eight teams – AEK Athens, Slavia Prague and Vicenza – belonged to the same group of investors known as ENIC. The company that owned Tottenham also had shares in Rangers and Basel.

A few weeks later, the UEFA executive committee introduced the new timeshare rule. Slavia participated in the following UEFA Cup, but AEK were excluded.

The clubs appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled in favor of the teams, saying UEFA “breached its obligations of good faith and due process” by adopting the rule so quickly.

ACTUAL POSITION

Last week, UEFA sent a harsh message to clubs and leagues in its annual financial survey.

“Increased investment in various clubs has the potential to materially threaten the integrity of European club competitions, with the high risk of two clubs with the same owners or investors going head-to-head on the pitch,” UEFA wrote. .