Premier League owners face disqualification for human rights abuses under changes to the Owners' and Directors' Test (OADT).
The Premier League announced clubs had "unanimously approved" the proposed changes at a shareholders' meeting on Thursday.
Among the disqualifying events added are individuals and companies subject to government sanctions and human rights abuses based on the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations of 2020.
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The former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had to sell the club last year after it emerged he had supplied steel to the Russian military to produce tanks for their war in Ukraine. Abramovich has never condemned Russia's invasion.
The Premier League's announcement comes after Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe submitted bids to buy Manchester United as the Glazer family consider the possibility of ending their 18-year ownership.
Sheikh Jassim hails from Qatar, which has been widely criticised for its human rights record. Homosexuality is still outlawed in the Gulf state.
Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi Group in 2008 while the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia took control of Newcastle in 2021.
On Monday, the Premier League chief executive Richard Masters refused to confirm whether the organisation is investigating Newcastle's Saudi ownership after documents submitted to a US court on behalf of the PIF said it should be considered a "foreign state".
The Premier League allowed the takeover to proceed on the assurance the "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control Newcastle".
City were charged with more than 100 alleged breaches of its financial rules by the Premier League in February following a four-year investigation.
Sheikh Jassim's entourage travelled to Manchester to meet officials at United on March 16 while Ratcliffe personally attended meetings at Old Trafford and the club's Carrington training complex the following day.
The Premier League's full statement on the OADT reads:
- Decisions taken by the Premier League Board under the OADT will be subject to review by a new Independent Oversight Panel
- The threshold for ‘control’ will be lowered to 25 per cent from 30 per cent
- Club chief executives to be brought within scope of the OADT, as will a new concept of ‘Relevant Signatories’, being individuals responsible for signing a range of key regulatory documents
- Owners’ and Directors’ Declaration form to be tailored to address individual and corporate directors
- A range of new Disqualifying Events have been added to the test, including
- A new Disqualifying Event for individuals/companies subject to Government sanctions
- A new Disqualifying Event for human rights abuses, based on Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020
- Extending the list of criminal offences resulting in disqualification, to include offences involving violence, corruption, fraud, tax evasion and hate crimes
- Extending the list of regulatory authorities, suspension from which will result in disqualification, to include the Charity Commission, FCA, Prudential Conduct Authority, HMRC and Gambling Commission
- Broadening the scope of the insolvency provisions, to enable the League to take action against individuals involved in previous insolvencies in a wider range of circumstances
- A new power for the League to stop those who wish to become ‘Directors’ where they are under investigation for conduct that would result in a ‘Disqualifying Event’ if proven
- Greater clarity and transparency over the due diligence to be conducted by the League on a takeover, with an agreed, published list of ‘Acquisition Materials’ that must be provided to the League to facilitate its due diligence
- Additional annual due diligence to be undertaken by the Premier League on incumbent Directors to ensure ongoing compliance with the OADT
- A range of increased transparency measures, including the requirement to publicly disclose individuals/companies disqualified under the OADT and an obligation on the League to create an annual report of compliance.
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