LONDON: Human rights organisation Amnesty International has offered its opinion on the imminent takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United FC by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund (Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia).
No surprises for guessing that said opinion is extremely critical of the impending deal.
While financial details have not been revealed, British media reports indicate that the Saudi Arabia PIF is set to acquire an 80% stake in the Magpies for £300 million ($370m) as part of a consortium that includes financier Amanda Staveley and billionaires the Reuben brothers.
A letter from Amnesty UK director Kate Allen addressed to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters reads: “I believe there are serious questions to address in determining whether the owners and directors of the company seeking to acquire NUFC are meeting standards that can protect the reputation and image of the game.
“If the Crown Prince, by virtue of his authority over Saudi Arabia’s economic relations and via control of his country’s sovereign wealth fund, becomes the beneficial owner of NUFC, how can this be positive for the reputation and image of the Premier League?
“So long as these questions (concerning Saudi Arabia’s human rights record) remain unaddressed, the Premier League is putting itself at risk of becoming a patsy of those who want to use the glamour and prestige of Premier League football to cover up actions that are deeply immoral, in breach of international law and at odds with the values of the Premier League and the global footballing community.’
“While Saudi Arabia would not be the only country whose businesses have bought a significant stake in a Premier League club, there are two aspects of the proposed acquisition that would set this apart.
“First, Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy in which the Crown Prince plays the role of King and has control of all economic, political and foreign relations. With oversight of the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, it is very unlikely that an important business transaction such as the takeover of a Premier League club could happen without his authorisation.”
Additionally, in a statement separate to the letter sent to Masters, Allen states: “…there’s a danger that the pandemic could obscure the need for a cool, measured and genuinely ethical decision over this Newcastle deal.
“All businesses need to safeguard against any possible links to human rights violations, and English football is no different.
“This is more than just a financial transaction, it’s an image-building exercise that draws on the prestige of the Premier League and the passion of Newcastle United’s fanbase.
“Whether or not this deal goes ahead, we’re calling on Newcastle United staff and fans to familiarise themselves with the dire human rights situation in Saudi Arabia and be prepared to speak out about it.
“At the very least, the Premier League should make a clear statement over how its owners and directors test has been applied in this case, and what assessment has been made of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record under Mohammad bin Salman’s leadership.”
In a separate but related development, the Premier League has been urged by one of its largest overseas broadcast partners, Qatar-based TV giant beIN Sport, to “fully interrogate” Newcastle United’s proposed takeover, BBC reports.
A letter beIN Sport chief executive Yousef al-Obaidly wrote to the chairs of top-flight clubs about the deal, accuses the Saudi Arabian government of the “facilitation of the near three-year theft of the Premier League’s commercial rights – and in turn your club’s commercial revenues – through its backing of the huge-scale beoutQ pirate service”.
“It is no exaggeration to say that the future economic model of football is at stake,” added Al-Obaidly, who has also written to Masters.
Describing the issue as “a matter of urgency”, Al-Obaidly continues: “Given the crippling economic effect that coronavirus is having on the sports industry, this is all happening at a time when football clubs need to protect their broadcast revenue the most.”
In his letter to Masters, al-Obaidly says: “To the extent the reports about the acquisition of NUFC are correct, we consider it essential for the Premier League to fully investigate the potential acquirer of the club, including all directors, officers and other representatives from the KSA PIF or other Saudi Arabian entities involved in, or otherwise providing any financing for the acquisition.
“There appear to be several reasons why such an investigation is being called for by other parties; our request is purely based on Saudi Arabia’s past and present theft of your and your member clubs’ intellectual property rights.”
The Premier League must approve the Newcastle takeover and are understood to currently be in the process of working through paperwork connected to the deal which could take two to three weeks, the BBC further reports.
