New Forest owner was not cleared by UEFA
Row as UEFA deny clearing new Forest chief
UEFA are continuing to monitor ongoing criminal investigations into new Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis — despite the Greek tycoon appearing to claim he had been cleared by multiple authorities as ‘fit and proper’ for a takeover of the Championship club which was completed on Thursday.
The 49-year-old, who passed the Football League’s ‘Owners and Directors’ Test’, said in an interview with the BBC: ‘We have passed all the tests, not only from local authorities in the UK but from UEFA [and other organisations].’
However, a spokesman for UEFA, European football’s governing body, said: ‘We have no jurisdiction to clear such a takeover, and haven’t cleared it’.
UEFA remain in touch with Greek authorities who are examining allegations around match-fixing and corruption involving Marinakis and dozens of others and also have an open file on alleged match-fixing at the tycoon’s Greek club Olympiacos.
A Forest spokesman said: ‘It must be made quite clear that Mr Marinakis and Olympiacos have never been found guilty of any wrongdoing whatsoever.’
FANS and campaigners have blasted the FA for lack of action implementing ‘ fit and proper’ ownership tests af te rUE FA denied they ‘cleared’ Nottingham Forest’ s take over by Greek tycoon Evangelos Marinakis.
Marin ak is ,49, owner of Olympiacos, has been dogged by allegations of match-fixing, bribery, organised crime links and attempting to improperly influence referees, police, judges and politicians.
He denies any wrongdoing and, while he is the subject of a criminal investigation in Greece and UEFA scrutiny over alleged fixing, has no criminal convictions.
He was passed as fit and proper by the Football League last week to own Forest and completed his buyout on Thursday.
Marinakis told the BBC his takeover had been cleared by UEFA after ‘ two months’ of ‘ numerous questions’. But a UEFA spokesman denies this, saying: ‘We have no jurisdiction to clear such a takeover, and haven’t cleared it’.
The spokesman added UEFA remain in contact with the General Prosecutor in Athens ‘in order to closely monitor the ongoing investigations[ into Marinakis].’
Separately, integrity experts with knowledge of UEFA’s matchfixing investigations say Olympiacos matches as far back as 2009 are being probed, citing specific examples. FA chairman Greg Clarke, speaking to The Mail on Sunday before Marinakis was cleared to buy Forest, and not referring specifically to that case, told this newspaper: ‘ I worry deeply about ownership.’
But he admitted he did not know how to solve it, suggesting owners should be required to put three years of future finance in as ring-fenced investment. But ultimately he said it is not the FA’s job to test owners.
An FA spokesman added: ‘Each league is responsible for administering the Owners and Directors Test in relation to their own clubs, therefore, it would not be appropriate for us to comment on a specific matter. Speaking generally, English football operates one of the most developed regulatory environment sin the world .’
Fans of clubs said to be run badly, including Blackburn, Leyton Orient, Coventry, Charlton and Blackpool, beg to differ.
West Ham vice-chairman K arren Brady said the Premier League will propose strengthening their own test next month, disqualifying ‘any potential owner or director whose conduct constitutes an offence under UK law, whether or not there is a conviction’. But many want tough er, uniform rules. Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation, said: ‘We have serious concerns about the effectiveness of fit and proper tests. ‘Adequate safeguards are not in place. Football clubs are part of the cultural heritage of communities and deserve to be protected accordingly. The FA has to play a vital role, and should be guardians of our game.’ Damian Collins, the chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee until the dissolution of Parliament, says the tests are ‘not fit for purpose’. ‘There need to be significant changes, urgently,’ added Collins. ‘The FA appear to not want to act. If they are concerned that a stiffer test wouldn’t be legally enforceable, then ask Parliament for statutory change. ‘If they’re not acting because they don’t want to upset the leagues, that itself is indicative of a huge problem.’