Regulator to Clamp Down on ‘Rogue Owners’ in English Football
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has announced plans to strengthen the owners, directors, and senior executives test in a bid to prevent “rogue owners” from entering English football. The tougher rules will expand background checks to cover domestic and international cases, banking records, and law enforcement data, ensuring stricter scrutiny of anyone seeking to take control of a club. Lawmakers approved the Football Governance Bill earlier this year, paving the way for the IFR to oversee financial and governance standards across the English football pyramid. “The new regime will assess the honesty, integrity and financial soundness of those who want to own or run a football club, ensuring they have the necessary skills and experience to do so,” the IFR said in a statement. “It will promote responsible ownership and protect the financial health of the 116 regulated football clubs, and is the first element of the new IFR regime to be consulted on. “The rules that will determine whether prospective owners, directors and senior executives are fit and proper have been significantly tightened, while the criteria used to protect against illicit finance and criminal funding entering football have also been widened.” The proposals mark the first major step in reshaping English football governance, with the IFR expected to take on broader oversight in the coming seasons.
