Madferret
6-01-05, 8:18 PM
Ashley Cole, Chelsea and Jose Mourinho guilty in transfer case
LONDON (AP) - English champion Chelsea, team manager Jose Mourinho and Arsenal defender Ashley Cole were fined a combined 600,000 pounds ($1.35 million Cdn) Wednesday and given a stinging rebuke by the Premier League after being found guilty of breaking the rules on transfer deals.
A Premier League commission ruled that Mourinho and the Blues were guilty of trying to lure Cole away from the Gunners at a meeting with the player and two soccer agents in a London hotel, even though he had two years left on his contract. The panel also found that the England leftback had effectively tried to help the move along, although it said he was the victim of the agents' tactics.
Premier League rules state that when players are under contract, clubs looking to buy them have to first gain permission from their teams before opening negotiations. Conversely, players have to get permission from their clubs to talk to other teams.
The Premier League tribunal imposed a fine of 300,000 pounds ($677,000 Cdn) on Chelsea as well as a three-point deduction, suspended for one season. The points will only be deducted if Chelsea is found guilty of a similar breach of the rules.
Mourinho, who is vacationing and was not at Wednesday's hearing, was fined 200,000 pounds ($451,000 Cdn). Cole, who flew back from the United States to appear at the hearing having played for England in Tuesday's 3-2 victory over Colombia, was ordered to pay 100,000 pounds ($225,000 Cdn).
Lawyers for Chelsea, Mourinho and Cole all said they would likely appeal the verdicts and punishments. All have 14 days to appeal.
Cole's lawyer, Graham Shear, said his client would fight the ruling.
"We find it hard to understand how the decision could have been reached in light of that evidence," Shear said. "The decision also does not deal with the extremely important issue of restraint of trade so far as footballers are concerned, and it doesn't explain why footballers cannot speak to prospective employers."
The three-man panel said that Mourinho, who led Chelsea to its first league title in 50 years in his first season with the club, had played a "pivotal" role in an incident that had cast a cloud over the Blues' triumph.
"The presence of the manager was vital because he was the key component in the discussion," the panel's statement read. "Managers are fully aware of their obligations under the rules and he acted in blatant disregard of them. In imposing the penalty we now do, we aim to send a clear message to other managers that this conduct must not occur."
The panel said Chelsea had a duty to abide by long-standing Premier League rules.
"We consider it unacceptable that Chelsea saw fit to respond to an invitation extended by (agents) Pini Zahavi and Jonathan Barnett," the statement read. "It was a rash and dangerous course to take and was likely to, and did, bring the club into disrepute in the eyes of other Premier League clubs and the public alike."
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said the club was "disappointed and shocked" by the verdicts and sanctions.
"The tribunal in its findings clearly said that Chelsea Football Club had been approached by agents on behalf of Ashley Cole," Buck said. "They then came to the conclusion that the fact that we went to a meeting with Ashley Cole constituted an approach within the meaning of (the rules).
"We disagree with that conclusion, we believe that attending the meeting did not go over the line.
"We think the sanctions are totally disproportionate to the alleged offence," he added. "We are almost certainly going to appeal and we look forward to making this right at some time in the future."
The two agents involved - Zahavi and Barnett - were singled out for criticism.
"It is a matter of regret that two of the most involved participants are not eligible to be dealt with by this disciplinary commission," the statement read. "We recommend that the responsible bodies concerned should investigate the roles of the two agents, Pini Zahavi and Jonathan Barnett."
The panel said, however, that it did not support Arsenal's claim for compensation against Chelsea.
"We consider that the time has come when these two respected Premier League clubs should put this matter to rest and face each other next season in the spirit which is expected of them by the football public" the statement read. "To impose compensation would only keep the wound open and achieve nothing towards this end."
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein said he hoped Cole would extend his contract with the Gunners.
"We hope Ashley does not leave," he said. "We do not want him to leave and we will be trying to extend his contract.
"We did not want to see him punished and I certainly did not testify against him. We all make mistakes but we move on. We want Ashley to be part of our future."
Tsk tsk...
LONDON (AP) - English champion Chelsea, team manager Jose Mourinho and Arsenal defender Ashley Cole were fined a combined 600,000 pounds ($1.35 million Cdn) Wednesday and given a stinging rebuke by the Premier League after being found guilty of breaking the rules on transfer deals.
A Premier League commission ruled that Mourinho and the Blues were guilty of trying to lure Cole away from the Gunners at a meeting with the player and two soccer agents in a London hotel, even though he had two years left on his contract. The panel also found that the England leftback had effectively tried to help the move along, although it said he was the victim of the agents' tactics.
Premier League rules state that when players are under contract, clubs looking to buy them have to first gain permission from their teams before opening negotiations. Conversely, players have to get permission from their clubs to talk to other teams.
The Premier League tribunal imposed a fine of 300,000 pounds ($677,000 Cdn) on Chelsea as well as a three-point deduction, suspended for one season. The points will only be deducted if Chelsea is found guilty of a similar breach of the rules.
Mourinho, who is vacationing and was not at Wednesday's hearing, was fined 200,000 pounds ($451,000 Cdn). Cole, who flew back from the United States to appear at the hearing having played for England in Tuesday's 3-2 victory over Colombia, was ordered to pay 100,000 pounds ($225,000 Cdn).
Lawyers for Chelsea, Mourinho and Cole all said they would likely appeal the verdicts and punishments. All have 14 days to appeal.
Cole's lawyer, Graham Shear, said his client would fight the ruling.
"We find it hard to understand how the decision could have been reached in light of that evidence," Shear said. "The decision also does not deal with the extremely important issue of restraint of trade so far as footballers are concerned, and it doesn't explain why footballers cannot speak to prospective employers."
The three-man panel said that Mourinho, who led Chelsea to its first league title in 50 years in his first season with the club, had played a "pivotal" role in an incident that had cast a cloud over the Blues' triumph.
"The presence of the manager was vital because he was the key component in the discussion," the panel's statement read. "Managers are fully aware of their obligations under the rules and he acted in blatant disregard of them. In imposing the penalty we now do, we aim to send a clear message to other managers that this conduct must not occur."
The panel said Chelsea had a duty to abide by long-standing Premier League rules.
"We consider it unacceptable that Chelsea saw fit to respond to an invitation extended by (agents) Pini Zahavi and Jonathan Barnett," the statement read. "It was a rash and dangerous course to take and was likely to, and did, bring the club into disrepute in the eyes of other Premier League clubs and the public alike."
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said the club was "disappointed and shocked" by the verdicts and sanctions.
"The tribunal in its findings clearly said that Chelsea Football Club had been approached by agents on behalf of Ashley Cole," Buck said. "They then came to the conclusion that the fact that we went to a meeting with Ashley Cole constituted an approach within the meaning of (the rules).
"We disagree with that conclusion, we believe that attending the meeting did not go over the line.
"We think the sanctions are totally disproportionate to the alleged offence," he added. "We are almost certainly going to appeal and we look forward to making this right at some time in the future."
The two agents involved - Zahavi and Barnett - were singled out for criticism.
"It is a matter of regret that two of the most involved participants are not eligible to be dealt with by this disciplinary commission," the statement read. "We recommend that the responsible bodies concerned should investigate the roles of the two agents, Pini Zahavi and Jonathan Barnett."
The panel said, however, that it did not support Arsenal's claim for compensation against Chelsea.
"We consider that the time has come when these two respected Premier League clubs should put this matter to rest and face each other next season in the spirit which is expected of them by the football public" the statement read. "To impose compensation would only keep the wound open and achieve nothing towards this end."
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein said he hoped Cole would extend his contract with the Gunners.
"We hope Ashley does not leave," he said. "We do not want him to leave and we will be trying to extend his contract.
"We did not want to see him punished and I certainly did not testify against him. We all make mistakes but we move on. We want Ashley to be part of our future."
Tsk tsk...