The Chelsea punishments have caused a lot of people to think about football finances.
LONDON: The crisis that has engulfed Chelsea as a result of the penalties imposed on Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has prompted a new discussion over the money that fuels Europe's richest league.
After Abramovich was targeted by the British government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Premier League club's assets were frozen, leaving them with a prohibition on ticket sales and goods.
A quick sale of the European champions will put an end to their nearly uninterrupted 19-year winning streak under their 55-year-old owner, who has won five Premier League titles and two Champions League titles.
Chelsea's first home game after the sanctions came against Newcastle, whose ownership model is now in the limelight following a contentious takeover by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's national wealth fund in October.
Amnesty International expressed its displeasure with the acquisition, calling it an attempt to "sports wash" the Gulf kingdom's human rights record.
Chelsea's assets have been blocked as a result of sanctions levied on the club's Russian owner, Roman Abramovich.
(AFP) The crisis that has overtaken Chelsea as a result of the sanctions imposed on Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has sparked a new debate about the money that fuels Europe's most lucrative league.
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The Premier League club's assets were blocked after Abramovich was targeted by the British government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leaving them unable to sell tickets or supplies.
A quick sale of the European champions will put an end to their nearly uninterrupted 19-year winning streak under their 55-year-old owner, who has won five Premier League titles and two Champions League titles.
Chelsea's first home game after the sanctions came against Newcastle, whose ownership model is now in the limelight following a contentious takeover by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's national wealth fund in October.
Amnesty International condemned the purchase, describing it as an attempt to "sports wash" the Gulf kingdom's human rights record.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was obliged to address questions after the Chelsea game about the number of executions in Saudi Arabia rather than problems during the game, reflecting the increased focus on off-field matters.
Newcastle hopes to follow in the footsteps of Manchester City, which has become the Premier League's dominant power over the last decade thanks to massive investment from Abu Dhabi.
Nonetheless, the UAE's decision to abstain from voting on a UN Security Council resolution condemning Russian "aggression" against Ukraine, as well as a recent meeting between City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — has refocused attention on City.
Chris Bryant, a Labour lawmaker, said it would be "glad to see Sheikh Mansour go" as City owner, while the government slammed his meeting with Assad, saying it jeopardized prospects for a feeling of long-term peace in Syria.
SCARFF, a Saudi-led partnership, now owns Newcastle United. Oli AFP/File
Despite the discomfort about who is supporting Premier League clubs, sports business expert Simon Chadwick told AFP that it is impossible to envision a real change in the short term, with billionaires from all over the world lined up to buy Chelsea.
"European football can wean itself off Russian, Chinese, and Saudi Arabian money, but what's left?" "Who will take their place if they leave?" Chadwick, a global professor of sport at emlyon Business School, echoed this sentiment.
"If we take Chelsea as an example, one of the choices for replacing an outgoing Russian is a consortium led by an American and Swiss billionaire, therefore the situation will not change for British football fans."
Is this a watershed moment?
The British government recognizes the need for change, publishing a fan-led study of the sport's governance in November.
The development of a new independent regulator for English football, as well as new owner and director exams, are among the recommendations to ensure that "only decent custodians" can oversee teams.
The Premier League's owners' and directors' exam is being reviewed, according to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, with sports minister Nigel Huddleston suggesting that it has to be more "tough."
Last week, Huddleston told a parliamentary committee that he believes the English game is at a "tipping point."
"The fan-led review is crucial," he said, noting that the complete government response is expected in the coming weeks. "We acknowledge that the structure and governance of English football are flawed."
The English Premier League isn't the only place where questions about ownership and sponsorship patterns arise.
Paris Saint-Germain, controlled by Qatar, is on track to win their eighth French league title in ten years, while the Spanish football federation has been chastised for hosting the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Despite a fan rebellion that disrupted the club's annual general meeting in November, Schalke has severed connections with state-owned Russian energy company Gazprom, while Bayern Munich has maintained a sponsorship deal with Qatar.
As they chase silverware in a hyper-competitive market, football teams and the Premier League have come under fire for allegedly failing to ask probing questions about where their money comes from.
Chelsea is caught up in geopolitical currents that go far beyond football, but it remains to be seen whether the sport has the appetite for major change.
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