Amnesty International demand meeting with Premier League over Newcastle takeover
The charity want the ownership test to be 'human rights-compliant'
Last updated 20th Oct 2021
Amnesty International has written to the chief executive of the English Premier League offering to discuss proposed human rights changes to football’s Owners’ and Directors’ test.
The charity were among the first to criticise the controversial takeover Newcastle United last week, from the Public Investment Fund, which is also Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
80% of the takeover was financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, whose chair is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
However, the Premier League have said that they have “legally binding assurances” that the new owners are separate from the Saudi state and that the Middle Eastern country will not control Newcastle.
Amnesty International have criticised the Premier League for allowing the Saudi Arabian state to 'sportswash their appalling human rights record with the glamour of top-flight football'.
The open letter reads: 'Under Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership Saudi Arabia has experienced a major human rights crackdown, with government critics and human rights defenders arrested - including prominent women’s rights activists - tortured and put on trial.
'In October 2018, the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a killing which the UN has said was “overseen, planned and endorsed by high-level officials” of the Saudi state.
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s CEO, said:
“The way the Premier League waved this deal through raises a host of deeply troubling questions about sportswashing, about human rights and sport, and about the integrity of English football.
“How can it be right that the Premier League’s current Owners’ and Director’s test has nothing whatsoever to say about human rights?"
The £305m deal to buy the club was described by Amnesty International as "an extremely bitter blow for human rights defenders".
Last weeks takeover of the club put an end to Mike Ashley's 14 tumultuous years as owner, and made Newcastle United the richest club in the world through their owners assets.
The deal was accepted 18 months after he initially accepted the offer.
Newcastle United's assets reach over a staggering £315bil, which equates for more than 3/4 of the Premier League's combined wealth.
Read More: Top 10 memes from the Newcastle United takeover
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