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Premier League chairman Anthony Fry steps down after illness Premier League chairman Anthony Fry steps down after illness
(about 1 hour later)
The Premier League’s chairman Anthony Fry has stepped down on account of illness. Anthony Fry has been forced to step down from the position of Premier League chairman after just a year in the role due to illness.
“Anthony Fry has decided to step down as chairman of the Premier League due to illness,” read a statement on the Premier League’s website. “He was appointed on 1 June 2013, but was taken severely ill in March 2014. His last day as chairman of the Premier League will be 30 June, 2014. The former investment banker and BBC Trust member replaced Sir Dave Richards as chairman in June last year amid hopes that he would add more rigour to the Premier League’s structure and improve relations with the Football Association.
“Anthony Fry said: ‘As is now well known, I suffered a stroke on 4 March this year. I have been very fortunate and I am delighted to be making significant progress with my recovery. But he said that, while he was “delighted to be making significant progress with my recovery” after suffering a stroke in March this year, he had been forced to stand down on the advice of his doctors.
“On the advice of my doctors, however, I realise that I need to scale back my business activities. It is with regret, therefore, that I have decided to step down from my position as chairman of the Premier League which, given my continuing roles at Dairy Crest, Cala and Control Risks, demands more commitment than I am able to give currently. It would not be fair to the Premier League, nor its member clubs, not to be able to continue to give that commitment. Fry said that given his other ongoing business commitments to Dairy Crest and elsewhere, he would not be able to continue to give the two day a week role the time it deserved.
“‘I would like to thank the Premier League for its understanding and support during what has been a very difficult time. I am sure it will continue to go from strength to strength as an impressive, professional and progressive body as well as a fantastic football competition.’ “It would not be fair to the Premier League, nor its member clubs, not to be able to continue to give that commitment,” he said.
“Bruce Buck, chairman of the audit and remuneration committee of the Premier League said: ‘When the clubs appointed Anthony as our chairman, we knew we were getting a serious and robust figure with an impressive track record, and who cared about the game. It is a great shame that we were only just getting to see the full range of his capabilities when Anthony was taken ill. “I would like to thank the Premier League for its understanding and support during what has been a very difficult time. I am sure it will continue to go from strength to strength as an impressive, professional and progressive body as well as a fantastic football competition.”
“‘It is absolutely right for Anthony to concentrate on making a full recovery. I am sure I speak for all the Premier League clubs when I say that we respect that decision, and thank Anthony for all his efforts while in post.’” Peter McCormick, the lawyer who was acting chairman during the fallout from the episode involving chief executive Richard Scudamore and the sexist emails from his work account that were leaked by a former PA to the media, will continue in that capacity for the time being.
Meanwhile, the audit and remuneration committee headed by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck will begin the process of finding the Premier League’s second new chairman in 12 months.
“When the clubs appointed Anthony as our Chairman, we knew we were getting a serious and robust figure with an impressive track record, and who cared about the game. It is a great shame that we were only just getting to see the full range of his capabilities when Anthony was taken ill,” said Buck.
“It is absolutely right for Anthony to concentrate on making a full recovery. I am sure I speak for all the Premier League Clubs when I say that we respect that decision, and thank Anthony for all his efforts while in post”.
The vacuum created by Fry’s absence due to illness was particularly acute during the furore that grew around the Scudamore emails, which brought issues surrounding the Premier League’s governance arrangements to the fore.
An initial plan for the audit and remuneration committee to lead the investigation into the affair was abandoned in favour of a full meeting of all 17 member clubs at the time.
It is understood that, while there are no plans to change the composition of a Premier League board that comprises just the chairman and chief executive, there were discussions about how such a process could be better handled in future at its recent annual meeting.
The Premier League has always argued that as its 20 clubs are its shareholders and meet regularly, there is no need for a full plc style board that includes non-executive members.
The departure of Fry will also come as a blow to Greg Dyke, the FA chairman who already had a relationship with the Premier League chairman and had hoped it would help the two organisations work together more effectively than in the past.
It also comes at a time when Scudamore himself is working remotely following a routine heart operation, although he plans to return to the office at the end of July ahead of the build up to the new season.