Shinawatra: Corruption & Man City

A warrant has been issued in Thailand for the arrest of Thaksin Shinawatra, owner of Manchester City FC and the ex-Prime Minister of Thailand. At the outset you may assume that this has very little to do with his role in the Premier League, however, there are measures in place to make sure Premier League football club owners stay on the straight and narrow.

At a time in football when corruption has been regularly hitting the headlines across Europe is the Premier League going to be forced into a swift response, or does an owner’s money talk louder than league stipulations?

In early 2006 the police began investigating illegal bungs between football agents and managers. Brought to their attention by Luton Town FC manager Mike Newell, it badly tarnished the image of the Premier League. After a BBC documentary investigating managers, such as Kevin Bond and Sam Allardyce, was aired, it led to libel cases and job changes, seemingly engraining the negative image that had arisen.

The well documented and severe treatment of shamed Italian giants Juventus in May 2006, due to match-fixing, produced an understanding of football that was more ingrained in money than the beautiful game. It added further weight to how far the professional, economic structures of football were interfering with the world’s most popular sport.

Thaksin, a telecommunications billionaire, was ousted as prime minister of Thailand in a military coup. He was accused of abusing his position, and of corruption, after being the first PM to head the Thai government though a whole first term in office. He came to England and bought Manchester City FC but has failed to re-appear in his home country for court proceedings. His wife has recently been incarcerated for tax fraud.

Premier league rules state that anyone in ownership of a club will be penalized for being successfully prosecuted in a fair and free court. Extradition proceedings might follow for Thaksin but it leaves the Leagues execs in a very difficult position. If he was to be found guilty do they have the power to confront the millions he has brought into the English game, or will the rules be flouted in an age where money, apparently, does the talking in football?

Manchester City manager, Mark Hughes, has dismissed claims that he will be leaving over the incident. It's an important move that distances himself from the business side of the club. He is, after all, there to look after the football team.

The dividing line between sport and business is increasingly blurred and it will be up to the Premier League either to save the game’s face for fans, or save the money, aiding those with a purely economic interest in football.

Written by Robert Dickins