Starmer refuses to budge on football regulator despite Uefa threat

https://www.thetimes.com/article/1749651c-4b56-454f-af1b-78359ac5104b?shareToken=c03b5193016781cf9eaa94d05a6464d0

Posted by Half_A_

2 Comments

  1. Reasonable_Blood6959 on

    If the bill has a clause requiring the proposed regulator to consider the “foreign and trade policy objectives” of the UK government when taking decisions, that’s not an independent fucking regulator is it?

    Because that’s basically saying “don’t piss off the Saudis or the Emiratis too much because we like selling them fighter jets.”

  2. >The legislation will create a football watchdog that could stop wealthy clubs joining breakaway leagues, protect clubs from financial mismanagement and force owners to make decisions based on the UK government’s “trade and foreign policy objectives”. This could block investment from controversial countries or dictate where clubs can play friendly matches overseas.

    I would love to see the end of the Gulf States’ constant sportswashing, but can this go in the opposite direction? What if a sports club refuses to play in the West Bank but the government says they must play there because it will upset its relationship with Israel?