By Andrew Warshaw
May 20 – The Football Assoiciation and Premier League have given written submissions that there was no conflict of interest over the award of merchandise contracts to a company part-owned by the son of Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards.
Earlier this month, MPs involved in the Select Committee inquiry into football governance contacted both organisations asking them to explain how Glue Creative Production Solution, based in Sir Dave’s home town of Sheffield, was selected to provide material for England’s 2018 World Cup bid.
Sir Dave was a director of Glue before he left last December, and MPs were keen to know whether vested interests were at play in employing his son’s company.
Both Glue and a London-based marketing agency, Unspun – which secured the deal – have consistently insisted the tender process was completely transparent.
But MPs wanted to know why a senior member of the Premier League had a commercial interest in a company chosen as a supplier of promotional scarves, badges etc.
Both the FA and the Premier League have now responded in writing by insisting nothing untoward took place.
“All transactions were undertaken in the normal course of business with no involvement of Board members,” said the Premier League’s letter, a copy of which has been seen by insideworldfootball.
“Our chairman had no influence over nor knowledge of the individual transactions in question.
“The staff involved were aware that Glue is run by Sir Dave’s son but were solely concerned with the core questions of price, quality and reliability.”
The FA also declared it had not broken any rules and said Glue were appointed following, what it termed, a “revue procedure” carried out by Unspun.
The FA letter, similar in tone to that of the Premier League and also seen by insideworldfootball, admitted that 2018 officials knew of Sir Dave’s involvement with Glue but said: “These people have confirmed that there was no undue influence placed by Sir Dave on using Glue.”
It is not immediately known whether MPs are satisfied with the two responses or whether any further action will be taken.
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