Human rights issues a ‘glaring omission’ in White Paper – Amnesty International

The Government is guilty of a “glaring omission” for failing to mention human rights issues in its new football White Paper, according to Amnesty International.

The document published on Thursday promised a new independent regulator would perform strengthened owners’ and directors’ tests on those seeking to take control of English professional clubs.

However, it made no explicit mention of consideration being given to individuals or entities linked to human rights abuses.

Amnesty called upon the Premier League to consider Saudi Arabia’s human rights record when the country’s Public Investment Fund bought a controlling stake in Newcastle in 2021, and has repeated it amid a Qatari bid for Manchester United.

Amnesty UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “With growing concern at the prospect of state-linked entities buying their way into English football for sportswashing purposes, it was disappointing that there was no proper consideration given to human rights issues in the White Paper – which seems, to say the least, a glaring omission.

“Football is close to the hearts of many people in this country and there’s real disquiet at the lack of safeguards in the current owners’ and directors’ rules over those linked to human rights violations overseas being able to acquire historic English clubs.

“During the planned period of selective consultation over the regulator role, we hope that the need for ownership rules which are human rights-compliant is accepted and that the remit of a future regulator includes the scrutiny of the human rights record of prospective owners.

“It will still be months if not years before the regulator comes into existence, so in the meantime we’re continuing to call on the Premier League to take