Arsenal

[floyd]

aren't the only dodgy fvckers. Wonder how the "Bouffant One" will wriggle out of this?

 

Fifa has launched an investigation into whether Arsenal have broken regulations which could leave the club exposed to serious penalties - even expulsion from the Champions League.

 

Newsnight has learnt that a police investigation in Belgium has concluded that Arsenal made secret payments of £1m to a Belgian football club.

 

The payments were made to take over Beveren, which has brought dozens of players from the Ivory Coast into Europe.

 

 

Arsenal deny making any financial input into Beveren but the BBC has been shown documents by the investigating magistrates, including one signed by David Dein on behalf of Arsenal Football Club PLC.

 

It was a mystery payment of one million pounds to an obscure Belgian football club in 2001 which sparked off a money-laundering investigation.

 

A company with no name wanted to invest a million pounds in the club. We thought it rather bizarre

 

Christian du Four, Investigating Magistrate

The club, Beveren, was in desperate financial straits and they refused to say where the cash had come from.

 

Christian du Four, the Investigating Magistrate in the Flemish town of Dendermonde, told Newsnight, "A company with no name wanted to invest a million pounds in the club. We thought it rather bizarre".

 

At the same time the team threw out most of its Belgian players and replaced them with unknowns from an academy in Ivory Coast, West Africa. Belgian police suspected the fog of secrecy was hiding mafia involvement.

 

Instead after an investigation they have told Newsnight that they found Arsenal's secret hand behind the money.

 

 

See all the documents obtained by Newsnight.

 

 

In detail

 

Arsenal has a public deal with Beveren to play friendly matches and loan players but Arsenal have repeatedly denied that they put money into the club.

 

Reading from his investigation, Mr Du Four said: "Jean Marc Guillou who is the manager of Beveren has very close contacts with Arsene Wenger the coach of Arsenal and that is why they went ahead with the contract".

 

He then highlighted one contract signed by Arsenal Vice-Chairman David Dein. The contract (Document B) shows Dein agreeing to advance 12 million Belgian francs (around £200,000) on behalf of Arsenal Football Club in an interest free loan to an associate of his called Raoul de Waele. The loan was to establish a company called Goal which would take over control of Beveren football club.

 

 

Arsenal signed Emmanuel Eboue from Beveren for a reported £1.5m

The loan and other money advanced by Arsenal would be repaid out of Goal's share of transfer profits. Du Four says that in all Arsenal put in £1m.

 

A director of Beveren, who did not wish to be identified, told Newsnight that in return for the £1m de Waele was given 50% control of Beveren and Guillou was given another 30%.

 

If Arsenal secretly controlled another club, especially one such as Beveren who they bought Emmanuel Eboue from, they could be in breach of FIFA rules and could be heavily fined or even thrown out of the Champions League

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/5037494.stm

Edited June 1, 2006 by floyd

[Gomez]

Just hearing about it on the Radio now.

 

As it says above, David Dein denies ever putting money into the club, but the BBC have a document with his signature on it.

So hope that hypocritical slimy t*** gets what's coming to him.

 

BBC: "FIFA don't tend to impose severe punishments on the very big clubs"

 

Arsenal are screwed then

[floyd]

Juve, AC and Lazio get away scot free.

Arsenal get relegated to playing on Hackney marshes

[Guest Cardie]

No, the latter is MSI, not related to Abrahamovic.

 

I wouldn't be too sure.

 

Two of Chelsea's targets this summer were MSI clients Tevez and Kalou. I'd be very suprised if Abramovich wasn't involved in some capacity despite his denials.

[chrisbonnie]

If Arsenal want to fund another club then they should be allowed to do so. The club might have gone under if it wasn't for Arsenal's generous financial help. I think we too should forge close ties with clubs that can get us good players from around the world. Especially hard-up Spanish clubs who can bring in talented S. Americans (since work permit issues prevents us from doing so) who we would later buy.

 

btw, this is the club they bought eboue from, would it have been fair if we where after that lad, rules are rules

[R A Softlad]

MSI as in http://www.msi-denmark.com/ ?

 

No the Sports agency - they buy players and loan them around. The sort of company Peter Ridsdale would have loved dealing with.

[Maldini]

btw, this is the club they bought eboue from, would it have been fair if we where after that lad, rules are rules

...and Touré and Marco Né

[chrisbonnie]

...and Touré and Marco Né

 

there you, if thats not a scam, i dont know what is

[Guest Sundance Kid]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5039016.stm

[Maldini]

It's nothing that wasn't known already though to be fair, it's the illegal payments that could f*** em up.

 

Let's hope they investigate United's relationship with Royal Antwerp too!

[Jiggy Hates Jazz]

Does our relationship with this Ghanain team bear any similarities? (genuine question - Jack Bauer stylee)

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I wouldn't be too sure.

 

Two of Chelsea's targets this summer were MSI clients Tevez and Kalou. I'd be very suprised if Abramovich wasn't involved in some capacity despite his denials.

 

So does Barcelona buying Lopez mean that Laporta is involved too? Means nothing.

 

I read every article you could find on the net about them a while back. There is imo very little to suggest he is involved with them.

[Maldini]

Does our relationship with this Ghanain team bear any similarities? (genuine question - Jack Bauer stylee)

We haven't secured anything yet, doubt our plans were ever as nefarious at Arsenal's though.

[growler]

I think its obvious that nothing will happen to arsenal.

 

The football authorities are a joke.

 

Watch the Juve story just disappear too. juve will 'promise' to be good, and all will be forgiven.

 

Same with Arsenal. they will be warned with future conduct.

 

Makes you wonder why Chelski paid 12mil to united for Obi when even they didn't they would've got a 50 Euro fine at most anyway.

[aka Dus]

FIFA ask FA to act on Arsenal-Beveren link

05/06/2006 - 12:10:54

 

FIFA have written to the Football Association requesting they investigate the relationship between Arsenal and Belgium club Beveren.

 

A FIFA spokesman confirmed this morning that a letter addressed to chief executive Brian Barwick was posted on Saturday instructing the FA to examine ties between the clubs.

 

The FA have not yet received any formal communication from the sport?s world governing body on how to proceed following allegations that Arsenal made irregular payments to Beveren.

 

FIFA?s letter read: ?By means of this letter we kindly ask you to carry out an appropriate investigation into the relevant relationship between your affiliated club, Arsenal, and Beveren.

 

?We also ask you investigate the relationship with Asec Mimosas from the Ivory Coast. We ask you to carry out an investigation to ensure proper clarification of the issue.

 

?Furthermore, we would be grateful to be kept updated on the developments and informed about your findings as soon as possible.?

 

BBC?s Newsnight programme, screened last Thursday, related how police uncovered an investment into Beveren of £1m (?1.5m) from an anonymous donor which they subsequently concluded had been provided by Arsenal.

 

The Champions League finalists responded by issuing a statement declaring their partnership with Beveren is on a football basis only, although they confirmed they paid a loan to stabilise the club in 2001.

 

Arsenal have an arrangement with Beveren to play friendly matches and loan players, with Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue arriving at Highbury on a permanent deal following a successful spell with the Belgian team.

 

The Gunners, however, refute allegations of making irregular financial payments to Beveren.

[Hassony]

 

Makes you wonder why Chelski paid 12mil to united for Obi when even they didn't they would've got a 50 Euro fine at most anyway.

chelsea are not part of the G14, so they don't have the backing of the other top clubs, only their money can save them