Bodies urged to probe corruption in football
authorities to be “investigated fully”.
Allardyce’s contract as England manager was terminated after a Daily Telegraph sting operation captured him negotiating lucrative speaking engagements in the Far East, and making damaging remarks about issues including third-party ownership of players.
The investigation has also alleged that eight unnamed managers with Premier League experience took bribes for the transfers of players.
Ms Crouch said: “The integrity of sport is absolutely paramount and we have been clear that we expect the highest standards of governance andtransparencyfromsports governing bodies, here in the UK and on the international stage.
“In this context, the recent allegations concerning English football are very concerning and we will be discussing the matter with the football authorities. All the evidence presented to them must be investigated fully and we stand ready to assist in any way we can.”
Acting chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Damian Collins, said Allardyce’s conduct was “incredible”.
He called for wider action to be taken to resolve the “greater malaise” in which football authorities cannot enforce their own rules, citing the example of Massimo Cellino being allowed to take ownership of Leeds United despite having fraud-related convictions.
Mr Collins said there should be a “properly resourced” independent ethics authority, tighter guidelines on conflict of interest, and a “sports law” to block investors from a club if they do not comply with FA rules or are unlikely to in future.
Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Collins said: “The Sam Allardyce affair underlines the weak governance of football. Once again, it is a private investigation that has exposed how easy it is for people interested in enriching themselves through sport to try to flout the rules.
“It is incredible that an England football manager would enter into negotiations with people he didn’t know, to provide insights and guidance over how they could get around regulations banning the third-party ownership of players. It would have been a clear conflict of interest for an England manager to have entered into such an agreement.”