GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN AGAINST NATION STATE OWNERSHIP OF OUR FOOTBALL CLUBS


Nation state ownership of our football clubs, if allowed to continue, will ruin the game. The parliamentary white paper, “A sustainable future - reforming club football governance” does not really address the issues of state ownership and human rights.

The voices of grass roots fans need to be heard.

The football owners' and directors' test has to include a respecting human rights clause and another prohibiting ownership of clubs by states.

Fans stopped the European Super League through mass action and we can kick the dictators and human rights abusers out of football too if we UNITE.

Please use the model letter to write to your local MP.



Dear (INSERT MP’s name)

I am a supporter of (INSERT club name) and am very concerned about nation states taking over our football clubs. An increasing number of football fans believe that the stability of the game is not possible with nation state involvement.

I am concerned that the recent White Paper on the reform of club governance in England does not address or prohibit state ownership of English clubs. A new “Disqualifying Event for human rights abuses” has been added to the Owners’ and Directors’ Test, but it means little if states linked to serious human rights violations are able to remain in control of Premier League clubs.

State ownership of clubs brings closer the prospect of multi-club ownership and ramifications for competitive integrity; the financially destabilising impact; and the use of clubs as branding vehicles for abusive states, known as sportswashing.

There is also the question of the geopolitical rivalries between the states which own some of our football clubs. I don’t want my club to compete in a league where tensions between foreign states have the potential to overshadow the competition. Our game is at risk of becoming inextricably entwined with the foreign policy of the UK, which has very substantial political, economic and security interests in the Gulf region.

Will you support a further tightening up of the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test which would specifically draw a red line prohibiting and phasing out nation state ownership of football clubs?

Yours sincerely, 

Would you like to support us? All funds will go towards the campaign.

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