Government won't intervene in Manchester City takeover

Despite pleas from a human-rights group, British sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe said he and the government will not intervene in Thaksin Shinawatra's takeover of Manchester City.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are among two of the groups that opposed the buy out by the former Thai prime minister, who completed a GBP 81.6 million takeover in July.

The Premier League claimed ownership tests are stringent and "go above and beyond any requirement by company law and are some of the sternest in any UK industry."

Sutcliffe said the test was far from perfect and, since the test was established by football authorities, it should be the authorities who make the final call on who is fit and who is proper.

Sutcliffe said the three tests – for the Football Association, the Premier League and Football League all should be grouped together and standardise matters.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.