Premier League: a standard of human rights compliance imposed on future club owners

"Premier League clubs unanimously approved a number of changes to the League's Owners' and Directors' Test (OADT)" including the introduction of a "new disqualifying event for human rights abuses," announced the English League following its shareholders' meeting on 30/03/2023. All the measures adopted come into force "with immediate effect."

This decision follows the takeover of Newcastle United FC by a consortium of investors led by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF) on 07/10/2021. Amnesty International had in particular urged the Premier League to "re-examine the assurances made about the non-involvement of the Saudi authorities (deemed, according to the NGO, not to be respectful of human rights) in the Newcastle deal," on 02/03/2023. Another country in the firing line is Qatar. Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), made a bid to acquire Manchester United FC on 17/02/2023. This bid, in competition with that of the British group Ineos (chemicals), could thus be impacted by the new measures relating to the OADT.

Five other new…