The Premier League ought to re-examine assurances it obtained from Newcastle United’s Saudi homeowners that the Middle Eastern kingdom wouldn’t take management of the membership, Amnesty International stated on Thursday.
Newcastle’s takeover by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) was sealed in October 2021 following “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi authorities would haven’t any management over the north-east membership.
However, a US court docket case this week regarding the PGA Tour and LIV Golf described Newcastle chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan as a “current minister of government” who’s questioning the independence of membership possession. doubts.
Amnesty’s Peter Frankenthal stated, “The Premier League will certainly need to re-examine the assurances it made about the non-involvement of Saudi officials in the Newcastle deal, not least because the Qatari bid for Manchester United is yet to take off.” can be on the desk.” UK director of financial affairs.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, a member of the Qatari royal household, is certainly one of two teams searching for a full takeover of Manchester United.
The transient filed within the PGA Tour case in opposition to LIV Golf describes the Public Investment Fund as “a sovereign instrument of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.
The chairman of PIF is Saudi Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. According to PIF’s web site, six of the opposite eight board members are ministers of the Saudi authorities, whereas one is an advisor to the Royal Court and Al Rumayyan is governor of PIF.
Amnesty’s Frankental was quoted by the BBC as saying, “It was always stretching to shatter credibility to imagine that the Saudi state was using Newcastle with the ultimate aim of using the club as a component in their wider sporting wash efforts.” Was not instructing to purchase. ,
“There is an unmistakable irony within the sovereign wealth fund announcement rising in controversy over yet one more department of Saudi Arabia’s rising sports activities empire, however the easy reality is that Saudi sportswashing is affecting many sports activities and governing our bodies want to handle it extra successfully. must be answered.”
LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have been in litigation since a number of LIV gamers filed federal antitrust lawsuits final August.
The particulars of al-Rumayyan as a present minister within the authorities got here from attorneys representing LIV Golf, which is owned by PIF.
Neither Newcastle, the Premier League nor PIF instantly responded to requests for remark.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
