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| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Bung inquiry targets 17 transfers | Bung inquiry targets 17 transfers |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Premier League has targeted 17 transfers that need more investigation following Lord Stevens' inquiry into illegal payments in football. | The Premier League has targeted 17 transfers that need more investigation following Lord Stevens' inquiry into illegal payments in football. |
| But Lord Stevens, who was investigating a total of 362 transfers, has not given details of the 17 questionable deals. | But Lord Stevens, who was investigating a total of 362 transfers, has not given details of the 17 questionable deals. |
| Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said a "small but significant number of agents" would not co-operate. | Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said a "small but significant number of agents" would not co-operate. |
| Lord Stevens' team, which has made 38 recommendations to safeguard the game's integrity, will begin a new inquiry. | Lord Stevens' team, which has made 38 recommendations to safeguard the game's integrity, will begin a new inquiry. |
| News conference: Lord Stevens | News conference: Lord Stevens |
| The game is clean but the accounting processes and monitoring of the clubs is in a mess Lord Stevens | The game is clean but the accounting processes and monitoring of the clubs is in a mess Lord Stevens |
| The findings of the nine-month inquiry were revealed at a news conference on Wednesday. | The findings of the nine-month inquiry were revealed at a news conference on Wednesday. |
| Among the recommendations was the creation of a new body to handle the audit of transfers, rather than the Football Association. | Among the recommendations was the creation of a new body to handle the audit of transfers, rather than the Football Association. |
| "The FA and the compliance unit does not have the credibility of the public or the clubs," said Lord Stevens. | "The FA and the compliance unit does not have the credibility of the public or the clubs," said Lord Stevens. |
| "The proposed regulation and compliance unit must be established with expertise and independence to take on this work. | "The proposed regulation and compliance unit must be established with expertise and independence to take on this work. |
| "Part of the FA's problems has been the lack of forensic investigators and accountants." | "Part of the FA's problems has been the lack of forensic investigators and accountants." |
| Lord Stevens also criticised the lack of assistance he had received from "eight major agents" during the course of his team's investigation. | Lord Stevens also criticised the lack of assistance he had received from "eight major agents" during the course of his team's investigation. |
| "Agents' failure to respond has resulted in delays to this inquiry," he said. People will only be named when there is evidence which will lead to a charge Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore | "Agents' failure to respond has resulted in delays to this inquiry," he said. People will only be named when there is evidence which will lead to a charge Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore |
| "We will be providing the Premier League with a number of incidences where mandated processes have not been followed. | "We will be providing the Premier League with a number of incidences where mandated processes have not been followed. |
| "This is no witch hunt. This is no whitewash. | "This is no witch hunt. This is no whitewash. |
| "The reason why we are not naming names is the inquiry is ongoing. | "The reason why we are not naming names is the inquiry is ongoing. |
| "I know you would like us to name and shame but I can't do it at the present stage. | "I know you would like us to name and shame but I can't do it at the present stage. |
| "The game, in relation to the majority of what we have seen, is clean but the accounting processes and monitoring of the clubs is in a mess." | "The game, in relation to the majority of what we have seen, is clean but the accounting processes and monitoring of the clubs is in a mess." |
| Scudamore added: "People will only be named when there is evidence which will lead to a charge. | Scudamore added: "People will only be named when there is evidence which will lead to a charge. |
| "The concentration is now on a number of agents and other parties - not clubs and club officials. | "The concentration is now on a number of agents and other parties - not clubs and club officials. |
| "In one sense they (clubs) are in the clear in that the investigation into them has finished." | "In one sense they (clubs) are in the clear in that the investigation into them has finished." |
| Sports minister Richard Caborn claimed Lord Stevens' inquiry highlighted the need for the FA to implement the Burns review. | |
| Lord Burns was asked to conduct a review of English football's governing body by the Government at the end of 2004, following a year of controversy for the FA. | |
| Caborn said: "I welcome Lord Stevens' report and the thorough way he and his team have gone about investigating alleged irregularities in relation to transfer dealings. | |
| "It has cleared the vast majority of these transfers, which is encouraging news for the reputation and integrity of the game. | |
| "I also welcome the recommendations in the report to improve the regulation of agents and the transfer system. | |
| "It is now for the FA with the support of the rest of football, especially the Premier League, to urgently take forward the Burns recommendations for a semi-autonomous compliance unit. I am confident this will happen." |