30 March 2023 , 19:25
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Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani's bid for Manchester United will be unaffected by the Premier League's new rules surrounding ownership.
The Qatari is in the running to buy the Red Devils, with the Glazers open to selling, in what would be a world-record deal for a sports team. Sheikh Jassim's connection to the Middle Eastern state, which effectively owns European rivals PSG, was thrust into the limelight on Thursday as the Premier League plans to tighten its rules regarding who can purchase a club - with human rights abuses a major red flag.
Countries across the Middle East have copped major criticism for their societal norms, which do not align with the western world. The Sheikh however is operating as an individual and would therefore not be threatened by the recent changes. Qatar are also not on the UK government sanction list.
The new ownership and directors test will include a ban on human rights abusers, the violent and corrupt. Saudi Arabia's takeover of Newcastle thrust the issue into the spotlight after their Public Investment Fund (PIF), chaired by Crown Prince Mohamed Salman, bought the club last term. Manchester City's Arab owners have also copped criticism during their time in England.
Neither of those clubs are under threat despite the passing of the new rules. Neither are on a UK government sanctions list. The Premier League also received “legally binding” guarantees that the government were not taking control of Newcastle.
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Moving forward, an “annual report of compliance” will make sure that an owner or director of a Premier League club has not broken the regulation in the previous 12 months or been sanctioned. Human rights abuses, based on the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020, is now one of several "disqualifying events".
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is hoping to takeover Man UtdThe new rules, which have been approved by clubs, also state that a person or a company being subject to Government sanctions would be disqualified. The range of criminal offences which could result in disqualification has been extended to include offences involving violence, corruption, fraud, tax evasion and hate crimes.
Sheikh Jassim is being rivalled in the race to buy United by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus. The Qatari sheikh is the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, one of the country's biggest banks whilst his father, Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani, is a former prime minister of the Middle East state.
The recent deadline for bids was extended and Sheikh Jassim lodged his improved offer late last week. He is eyeing a complete takeover and has vowed, if he is successful, to wipe all debts and invest considerably in the club and its infrastructure and support local communities.
Despite that his bid is still subject to anger from human's rights organisation Amnesty International. "Fan groups are right to be concerned that a Qatari buyout of Manchester United is likely to be part of a wider programme of Qatari sportswashing, where the glamour of football is used to refashion the country's image regardless of serious and systematic human rights abuses," Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK's economic affairs director, said.