Premier League moves to prevent future breakaway tournaments
London, May 3 (EFE).- The Premier League said Monday it will impose a series of measures to avoid the creation of breakaway tournaments similar to the recently failed European Super League project.
The English soccer league’s so-called Big Six of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hostpur and Arsenal were briefly among the founding clubs of the Super League before withdrawing on April 20 after a vociferous backlash from politicians, fans and even coaches and players of the clubs involved.
Such steps will not be tolerated in the future given the disorder they would create at the domestic level, the Premier League said of the collapsed European Super League, whose other six founding clubs were Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan.
The preventative measures include an Owners’ Charter that the Premier League’s 20 teams would have to sign expressing their commitment to that competition’s “core principles.”
Those in non-compliance would be subject to “significant” sanctions.
New rules and initiatives also are to be introduced to ensure protection for the Premier League’s principles and open competition.
“The events of the last two weeks have challenged the foundations and resolve of English football,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“The Premier League has prepared a series of measures to enshrine the core principles of the professional game: an open pyramid, progression through sporting merit and the highest standards of sporting integrity,” it added. “These measures are designed to stop the threat of breakaway leagues in the future.”
That announcement comes a day after around 200 Manchester United fans stormed into Old Trafford in a protest against the club’s United States-based owners, the Glazer family, an action that led to the postponement of the Red Devils’ match against Liverpool.
“The actions of a minority of those present at Old Trafford on Sunday have no justification and will be investigated by the Premier League and The FA as well as by the Greater Manchester Police,” the Premier League statement said. EFE
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