http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... ad-airline

Clubs such as Manchester City should be prohibited by UEFA from being sponsored by companies closely associated with their owners, a Council of Europe committee stated today.
The estimated £400million partnership deal between City and Etihad airline has been described as an "improper transaction" in a report by the Council's culture, science, education and media committee. It also highlights Real Madrid's sale of its training ground to the city for more than 400million euros as possibly giving the club an unfair advantage.
The Council of Europe cannot impose any rules however - it is separate from the European Union and acts as a watchdog body. Their report says UEFA will have to take care to ensure their financial fair play rules, where clubs must only spend what they earn, are not circumvented. "Clubs will no doubt try to supplement their income if possible.
They could for example call on sponsors to invest more so as to reduce or eliminate their deficits," says the report. "Care will have to be taken to prevent any circumvention of the financial fair play rules in this way. "A case in point is Manchester City, which has entered into a contract estimated at £400million with the airline Etihad. Etihad belongs to the Abu Dhabi royal family, and the Abu Dhabi United Group, which is led by Suleiman Al-Fahim, owns Manchester City. "In order to avoid improper transactions of this kind, UEFA should prohibit clubs from sponsoring themselves or using associated bodies to do so. "There is also a need to monitor the 'purchases' of sponsors, who should not overpay for the rights they acquire." Manchester City are by no means the only leading European club with such a deal. Paris St Germain, owned by one of the members of Qatar's ruling family, last month announced a major sponsorship deal with the Qatar National Bank.
The committee warned that public authorities can indirectly give financial help to clubs - and that is part of the problem. The report adds: "This poses the question at which point competition between clubs can significantly be distorted, and some clubs enjoy an undue advantage, as a result of the financing of sports infrastructure, its sale to sports companies or placing on loan to teams, the granting of subsidies, loans, tax breaks or other financial benefits, gifts, the purchase by public authorities of advertising space or, indeed, facilities belonging to clubs, or other measures to support sports companies. "For example, in the early 2000s Real Madrid was able to sell its training ground back to the city for more than 400million euros. "There is a need for strict application of the ban on state aid for professional sports companies."
The committee is against the introduction of a salary cap. It says to do so would lead to a reduction in pay of less well-known players "especially young players or players from African or Asian countries" and the temptation for clubs to enter "into secret deals or to reach arrangements with sponsors to transfer part of the costs to them".

. Etihad belongs to the Abu Dhabi royal family, and the Abu Dhabi United Group, which is led by Suleiman Al-Fahim, owns Manchester City.

Good to see that our European taxes are being put to good use as usual

Let's forget that half of Europe are close to bankruptcy due to their useless policies and spurn outside investment

In all likelihood the author is a rag.

Fuck !!! More ammo for Platini.

What's wrong with being able to pay your own way, even if some of your income is provided by companies that are basically under the same ownership.

Did the EC do proper checks on Greece before admitting it into the Community?

It is barking to judge a teams financial status on its football activities alone, if you are debt free by any means that are not illegal by the laws of the country you operate in then that is all that should be taken into account.

If we carry the "Financial Fair Play" idea to its extreme then most French farmers would not be allowed to continue in existence, as it is they are subsidised up to the hilt.

"The Council of Europe cannot impose any rules however - it is separate from the European Union"

I don't think any taxes go towards it.

This is the reason i stopped buying the Evening News last year....they can't even be bothered checking the facts before publishing shite like this!......City's owner Suleiman Al-Fahim ????

What and who the fuck are the council of Europe?

The Council of Europe is a meaningless talk shop. It has nothing to do with the European Union or UEFA.

I would not lose any sleep over this issue.