Government to Investigate Football Governance

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2011-02-08 13:31:53

The government's Culture, Media and Sport Committee are launching an inquiry to establish whether the incumbent British football authorities are fit for purpose.

Chief executive of the Premier League, Richard Scudamore, has today insisted that while he will “fight his corner” at the inquiry, he is prepared to consider any issues that are raised.

However, he was keen to remind the government that he was by no means duty bound to accept any of the recommendations made: “it's not a court ruling,” Mr Scudamore told the BBC; “it's not a legal decision we have to abide by, but clearly if they are proportionate, sensible things, we will do what we can to adopt them.”

"We don't normally take the opposite stance unless we have to but if it's something seismic we think will actually make the game worse, then we will fight our corner.”

The inquiry has been set up to answer key questions concerning how football is managed, including whether teams should be treated differently from other commercial organisations, whether there is too much debt in the professional game and if the current governing bodies in England and Wales are fit for purpose.

The inquiry comes shortly after the January transfer window saw record amounts of money spent by English clubs, twice breaking the British transfer record. Many supporters have also voiced their concerns about the decreasing amount of time managers are given to prove themselves at clubs.

Mr Scudamore has said that he was determined to address any suggestions that fans are ill-served by football's governing authorities: “If some people hold that perception, then we have to do something about that,” said the chief executive.

Former Southampton manager, Lawrie McMenemy, who is now President of Special Olympics GB, added:

“Football does have a lot of money in it and we're just trying to steer a little bit of it our way.”

The inquiry comes as English and Welsh clubs prepare to adapt to new financial fair-play rules which will see them banned from competing in European competitions if they are unable to show they are earning more than they are spending.

The inquiry kicks-off today and will hear from economic experts, journalists and supporters.

By James Chapple

[Image courtesy of edwin.11 vis Flickr]