According to The Sun, the English Premier League won’t deliver a verdict on Newcastle United £300 million takeover until after the formal publication of the World Trade Organization of Qatar’s allegations of intellectual property breaches against Saudi Arabia.
That is due in the next fortnight, and Newcastle fans will have to wait for at least two more weeks to know their fate as the saga continues.
The WTO has ruled that the Kingdom is indeed behind beoutQ – a pirate pay-television broadcaster that simulcasts the programming of Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports – and has already submitted a 123-page report to the Premier League.
The EPL legal team have continued to peruse the report, and its why the would-be Magpies owners are yet to pass the Owners’ and Directors’ Test.
Some of them include the piracy allegations linking Saudi with beoutQ, the Kingdom’s human rights records, their role in the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the ongoing civil war in Yemen, and whether there would be a conflict of interests with Sheffield United already owned by a member of the Saudi royal family.
The Saudis are set to own 80% of the St. James’ Park outfit if the takeover goes through, but American businessman Henry Mauriss is ready with a £350 million bid and a team in place to get the deal done should theirs fall through.
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