MTK will be subject to ‘strict rules’ over agents
FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill insists that anyone who wants to become a football agent, either in Ireland or elsewhere, will be subjected to rigorous rules and regulations set out by FIFA. The football world was shocked earlier this week when the MTK Global boxing management company, which was founded by Daniel Kinahan, announced that it was moving into the sport. However, Hill says that there are processes in place for anyone who wants to become an agent. ‘FIFA have firm, strict and clearly laid-out rules in relation to intermediaries,’ Hill explained. ‘We follow those and have our own rules and regulations that reflect them.
‘We have four registered intermediaries [agents] in Ireland and they all had to go through due process, which is financial. It involves face-to-face interviews and Garda vetting. That is done on an annual basis, so we have the process in place to address anybody who might want to become involved. I’m sure that will be applied in this case, too.’
Kinahan, who has been named in the High Court as a senior figure in organised crime, was said to have cut ties with MTK in 2017 but it was acknowledged earlier this year that he still offers ‘personal advice’ to boxers on their books including WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
The football agency arm of MTK will be run by Danny Vincent, who claimed this week the priority of the business will be ‘to look after footballers on and off the pitch’.