Izuchukwu OkosiThe U.K. government on Thursday sensationally confirmed plans to set up an independent regulator to oversee football clubs following a slew of controversies around acquisitions, new tournament plans and allegations of financial rule-breaking.
Among the regulator’s powers will be the ability to prevent clubs from joining tournaments that do not meet certain criteria, likely including “breakaway, closed-shop” leagues.
The decision follows widespread fan opposition to plans for a new European Super League in 2021, championed by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus.
The venture, viewed as a way for major clubs to boost revenue through guaranteed participation in an international tournament, collapsed shortly after it was announced due to the extent of the backlash.
Confirmation of the new body had been leaked, but was confirmed in a government report Thursday.
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The government is also seeking to ramp up the vetting process of club owners, imposing “stronger due diligence on sources of wealth and a requirement for robust financial planning.”
Rights groups have previously insisted that potential Premier League club owners should be subjected to human rights probes as espoused by the Amnesty International.
Following the acquisition of Newcastle United in 2021 by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, there has been widespread criticisms by organizations that are against ‘sportswashing’ especially from the Arab nations.
Currently, the rules prohibit prospective owners that have previous criminal convictions or breaches of major football regulations.
However, the government said the new regulator will focus on financial checks, saying they will be “aimed at identifying links to criminality or corruption.”
U.K. Member of Parliament Stuart Andrew said in the House of Commons Thursday it was “the most radical overhaul of football governance since the rules were first invented in a London pub back in 1863.”
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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