By Mark Baber
January 29 – The 150 year old English Football Association has been blasted in a follow-up report by a government Select Committee into the governance of the game in England, with the recommendation that if no progress is made within the next 12 months then Government will be left with no choice but to step in with legislation as soon as practically possible.
The warning shot does not just apply to the FA, but also to the roles of the Premier League and Football League, particularly regarding financial management in football.
The UK parliament Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s new Football Governance Follow-Up report blasts the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League for a “very disappointing” response to its Report published in July 2011 and calls for new legislation to be passed as a matter of urgency if the football authorities do not make significant progress in the next 12 months.
In December 2010, the Select Committee launched an inquiry into domestic football governance after concerns were expressed by supporters and commentators about the sufficiency of checks and balances on financial management in football, as well as wider failures of governance.
In the July 2011 Report, the Committee concluded that the Football Association was in need of urgent reform as the Premier League was too influential in its running, and as the game’s increasing commercialisation coupled with a lack of proper financial regulation, was leading to financial risk-taking by clubs.
The football authorities responded jointly to this Report, but the committee says of the response: “these proposals failed to go far enough in addressing the crux of the governance problem, that the structure of the Football Association led to delegation of too much responsibility away from the Main Board and towards committees dominated by the Premier and Football Leagues, and they also failed to provide the greater financial stability that the game needs. “
The committee argues that, “As the governing body of football in England, the Football Association should take the lead in decision-making for the game.” This is a view at odds with the Premier League which prefers to regard the FA as an “association of interests”.
John Whittingdale, chairman of the committee, said the FA and the leagues “simply don’t address the fundamental problems” and that “much greater reform in football is needed to make the game inclusive, sustainable and driven from the grassroots.”
MPs also argued there is a need for “more detailed proposals for the involvement and consultation of supporters and supporters groups”.
The committee is particularly concerned about the lack of progress “in relation to the licensing model, the failure to ensure that membership of the Main Board, Council and influential committees is fully representative and balance interests adequately, and the way in which supporter engagement will operate at club level.”
As football sees the prospect of record TV revenues coming into the game, there is a general concern that this money will go to foreign owners and on player wages and actually increase financial instability – and it is in their financial proposals that the committee finds the football authorities response “hugely disappointing, with the only really positive development being the eventual introduction of Financial Fair Play rules despite the football authorities’ initial reluctance.”
As a result the committee is recommending the Department for Culture, Media and Sport issue an ultimatum to the football authorities “that further progress on these issues is expected within twelve months. In the absence of significant progress, the Government should introduce legislation as soon as practically possible.”
Crucial now will be the response of Sports Minister Hugh Robertson who initially welcomed the football authorities response to the July 2011 Report but has also described football as “the worst governed sport in this country, without a doubt”.
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