Panel Wait To Decide West Ham Fate

The arbitration panel ruling over whether the FA Premier League was too lenient
in its punishment of West Ham over breach of player ownership rules has
announced that it will make its decision by the ‘end of the month’.

The announcement means that relegated Sheffield United, who stand to be
reinstated into the FA Premier League should the panel rule that West Ham should
have been docked points and effectively relegated, will have to wait to find out
its fate over a row that began back in March.

Despite breaching the rules in their transfers of Argentine duo Carlos Tevez
and Javier Mascherano, West Ham were not docked any points by the FA Premier
League and only fined £5.5m.

The independent arbitration panel can order a new hearing or rule that some
compensation be paid to Sheffield United.
The three-man panel’s main role
was to see whether the correct disciplinary procedures were followed.

Retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton chaired the hearing in Fleet
Street, with David Pannick QC representing the Blades and leading barrister
Nicholas Randall acting for the FA Premier League.

After the panel ended, Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe said: ‘It’s
been a very complicated case, and the panel are going away to review the
evidence and submissions.

‘All three parties had the opportunity to present their cases clearly to the
panel and we look forward to the handing-down of the decision of the panel in
due course. It would be inappropriate to comment further until a decision has
been made.’

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry appeared at the arbitration tribunal as
a witness supporting McCabe who also gave evidence with FA Premier League chief
executive Richard Scudamore and general secretary Mike Foster appearing for the
other side.