EC continue investigations into football

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Further to an investigation of the Italian Salva Calcio (Save Soccer) law, which allowed debt-ridden Italian clubs to amortize the cost of their players over a longer period of time, the European Commissioners are continuing investigations into governmental funding for the European clubs. The current investigation is the sale of Spanish Primera Liga club Real Madrid’s Ciudad Deportiva training complex to the local authorities. The sale which netted the club €480m in May 2001, suspected to be overpaid. The investigation for state payments for the construction of a new football stadium for German 1.Bundesliga club Bayern Munich has been closed. The Commission concluded that the public money used in this case did not benefit the club directly, but served a broader purpose, including hosting games in the forthcoming FIFA World Cup tournament in two years time.