Uefa has expressed “concerns” to the UK government that England could be barred from competing in the European Championship it is hosting in 2028 following plans to establish an independent football regulator. The regulator will oversee the top five tiers of the men’s game in England and will take over a strengthened owners and directors test, and ensure clubs are run sustainably. However, Uefa has cautioned against “government interference” in football governance and has warned that the FA could be excluded from Uefa and undermine “the autonomy of the sport and fairness of sporting competition”. This, in turn, could prevent English clubs from competing in European competitions.
Uefa’s general secretary, Theodore Theodoridis, argued that there was a potential for scope creep within the body, and therefore, it was important to muster “independence criteria” to avoid conflicts with the FA’s role that are necessary to “prevent sanctions under Uefa and Fifa statutes”. He also objected to clauses in the legislation requiring the regulator to consider the government’s foreign and trade policy objectives when deciding on the suitability of future owners, noting that they raised “specific concerns”. Furthermore, Theodoridis argued that the backstop powers bestowed upon the regulator, intended to intervene between the Premier League and the English Football League, could undermine the balance of power within football governance.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has said that the Football Governance Bill would establish a new regulator to tackle governance issues, to ensure the long-term sustainability of football clubs, and protect the clubs’ communities going forward. However, officials believe that there is no risk of England being sidelined by Uefa. The Premier League has warned of the potential “unintended consequences” and risks when such a body is subject to influence from the government, indicating that “it was critical that the regulation was proportionate and effective”. Football campaign group Fair Game called this scaremongering, arguing that the football industry needs “financial reform” to re-establish its full health
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
