Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 1:57 PM• Last update: 14:02

Newcastle United will in any case not be allowed to enter into sponsorship deals for the next month arising from the recent takeover by a Saudi investment fund. Eighteen Premier League clubs announced in an emergency meeting on Monday that they did not support this idea, because they consider it unfair competition. Only Newcastle itself voted in favour, while Manchester City was the only club to abstain from voting, reports the Guardian.

The emergency meeting was called because the clubs are concerned about the much-discussed takeover of the Saudis from the current number nineteen in the Premier League. The clubs mainly fear that investments by the Saudis could lead to violations of the Financial Fair Play rules. It has been decided that clubs are not allowed to enter into sponsorship deals with companies affiliated with the owner for the time being. If the ban is only in place for a month, Newcastle will be little affected in the long term.

Manchester City, the club owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, therefore decided not to vote. According to the Citizens, who claims to have sought legal advice on the matter, the proposal is unlawful. City has its own sponsor, Etihad Airways, which is owned by the government in Abu Dhabi. The Manchester club says it is not aware of any harm in the matter. Both Newcastle and City also questioned whether the vote should be allowed to take place at all.

The English federation, like UEFA, has been investigating possible dubious investments in clubs at the highest English level for some time. The ban on Newcastle United is in effect for at least one month, but the FA is investigating whether the temporary ban could possibly be converted into a permanent ban. Due to the measure, it is not possible to invest in the St. James Park without restrictions for the time being. The club from the northeast of England suddenly became the richest club in the world at the beginning of this month due to the takeover.

Amnesty International previously said it was against the takeover of Newcastle United. Sasha Deshmukh, chief executive of the British branch of the human rights organization, previously said the Guardian know that the deal is “a clear attempt by the Saudi authorities to launder their horrific human rights history with the glamor of top football.”