FIFA to investigat Tevez Transfer*BREAKING NEWS*

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6657697.stm

FIFA are to step into the Carlos Tevez row and will investigate whether West Ham should have been docked points for breaching Premier League rules.

Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, said the game's world governing body had the power to pass a final verdict on an independent commission's decision to fine West Ham £5.5million for having a third-party agreement.

Several Premier League clubs are considering legal action against the Premier League over the commission's sanction, claiming the Hammers should have been deducted points.

Blatter told a media briefing in Zurich: 'We will look at this - and not only if we are asked, we will do it anyway.

'We will ask for the file once it has been decided how and why the decision was made.

'If we feel something was wrong in this decision then we have to open our file.'

Blatter said in terms of timescale a 'decision would have to be taken immediately.'

He added that according to FIFA's files the transfer of Tevez and Mascherano from Brazilian side Corinthians to West Ham had complied with international transfer regulations.

But the Premier League today insisted there was never any doubt about Carlos Tevez being eligible to play for West Ham.

The `Gang of Four' clubs, who are lining up to challenge the decision to allow the Hammers to escape with a fine for playing Tevez and fellow Argentina star Javier Mascherano, have raised questions about whether the striker should have been allowed to continue playing for the club once the third-party interest from Kia Joorabchian became apparent.

But Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson denied that Tevez, whose goals were largely responsible for keeping West Ham up as Sheffield United followed Charlton and Watford into the Championship, was ever ineligible.

Johnson did, though, concede that Joorabchian's influence was against the rules.

He told The Sun: 'This has never been a question of West Ham fielding an ineligible player.

'From the day they signed him, West Ham have owned his registration. That has never been an issue.

'West Ham have never tried to conceal the fact Tevez and Javier Mascherano are owned by Kia Joorabchian and MSI. That is not against the rules.

'The only problem we had with the deal was the existence of a clause in the agreement which would allow Joorabchian to sell the players to another club at any time.'

Sheffield United, Charlton, Wigan and Fulham, thought to be backed by Middlesbrough, have also questioned the player's right to continue playing after an independent commission handed down a £5.5million fine over the arrangement, but Johnson insists the Premier League are also happy with Tevez's re-registration.

'On the day of the inquiry's judgment, West Ham chose to terminate the third-party agreement with Joorabchian. They presented the Premier League with written evidence of the new arrangement.'

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has claimed the Premier League will write to each of 20 top-flight clubs today, explaining their handling of the affair.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old's performances have put him firmly in the shop window and despite retaining their status, West Ham look likely to lose their star player.

But Joorabchian remains tight-lipped and told the Daily Express: 'I went out for dinner with Carlos last night. There was not one word about his future.

'Three clubs had made it clear they wanted to sign him but I told them to wait until the season had finished.

'Carlos did not want to discuss his future, he was so wrapped up in wanting to keep West Ham up.'

But the Iranian businessman also hinted the Hammers could face a stiff challenge to keep Tevez.

'I'll sit down with West Ham if they want to talk to me about keeping him because you never know. But there are two of the biggest clubs in the world who want him.'

The relegation issue is due to reach the House of Commons today when a group of Sheffield MPs bring the matter before Parliament.

Clive Betts, Labour representative for Sheffield Attercliffe is leading the motion and is due to call for West Ham to be deducted points.

Betts told the Yorkshire Post: 'The early day motion is essentially saying that the whole of the Premiership competition has been thrown into doubt. There are very clear rules.

'West Ham have broken those rules and they should have points deducted as a consequence.'

Fifa will investigate Tevez saga



Fifa is to investigate whether West Ham should have been docked points for breaching rules over the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
An independent commission fined West Ham £5.5m, but several clubs felt they were let off lightly.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter said: "We will look at this. We will ask for the file once it has been decided how and why the decision was made.
"If we feel something was wrong then we have to open our file."
Blatter said any decision "would have to be taken immediately".
He added that according to Fifa's files the transfer of Tevez and Mascherano from Brazilian side Corinthians to West Ham had complied with international transfer regulations.

By the time Fifa finish Teves will be retired anyway

The only thing wrong was 1 clause that Kia/MSI could sell Tevez at anytime.

We were fined £5.5m for that, now it's finished.

But due to some pricks such as Whelan,Lamb and McCabe it's dragging on for no fucking reason.

Two more unnamed clubs have joined the legal case spearheaded by Sheffield United. Apparently one of the clubs is a big London club (Chelsea? Arsenal?).

With FIFA poised to investigate, best case scenario for West Ham is that they remain in EPL, but banned from any UEFA competition for let's say three years.

Worse case scenario is that West Ham are deducted points with the ensuing relegation that comes with it of course. FIFA being involved is the last thing West Ham wanted to hear.

Why should we be banned from UEFA competitions FFS? we have been fined for our wrong doings (1 clause that didn't even get used).

This whole thing is a fucking joke.

Deano -

not trying to wind you up but I think they have a point.

The argument is that if that clause had not been in the contract you would never have been able to sign Tevez in the first place. In addition, WH have said that the contract is null and void but Joorabchian has not confirmed this. So in fact until it's tested in court, WH's statement about the contract is worthless.

So you had the benefit of the services of a player who has been material in getting you the points to avoid relegation, as a result of an illegal contract.

However the FA have ruled and it is a legal requirement that clubs accept the FA's decision and don't go to the courts to settle disputes.

Lucas Deano Neill wrote:Why should we be banned from UEFA competitions FFS? we have been fined for our wrong doings (1 clause that didn't even get used).

This whole thing is a fucking joke.

I agree with you Hammer! The whole thing is dragging. When teams such as Sheffield United make FIFA step in to take a look, that's not good news for everyone involved. It's like the kiss of death. FIFA will feel a need to do something now that they've been called in, "the power of Christ compels you" to exorcise the demons from this fiasco.

That's a line from "The Exorcist" by the way. We oldtimers were traumatized with that movie.

Lucas Deano Neill wrote:Why should we be banned from UEFA competitions FFS? we have been fined for our wrong doings (1 clause that didn't even get used).

This whole thing is a fucking joke.

Don't worry you have to qualify for europe before the ban will affect you

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/6663077.stm

sheff utd launch legal bid

Read an article in the Guardian today saying that Tevez is apparently fully owned by West Ham and that any transfer would mean that West Ham woud get the entire money.

In my personal opinion I don't think anyone but a few high profile people know the real truth behind all this, it certainly seems very confused

Fifa are just trying to cash in on the chaos and the obvious trouble West Ham are in after their fraud.

It'll cost West Ham a couple of millions extra and that'll be all

Tweedle wrote:Read an article in the Guardian today saying that Tevez is apparently fully owned by West Ham and that any transfer would mean that West Ham woud get the entire money.

In my personal opinion I don't think anyone but a few high profile people know the real truth behind all this, it certainly seems very confused

The situation is, they cancelled the contract, and then signed him again for the remainder of the season, therefore he could be sold to real madrid for example and west ham wouldn't get nothing, but they still did not break any rules by playing him again.

L.r.d wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Read an article in the Guardian today saying that Tevez is apparently fully owned by West Ham and that any transfer would mean that West Ham woud get the entire money.

In my personal opinion I don't think anyone but a few high profile people know the real truth behind all this, it certainly seems very confused

The situation is, they cancelled the contract, and then signed him again for the remainder of the season, therefore he could be sold to real madrid for example and west ham wouldn't get nothing, but they still did not break any rules by playing him again.

But that situation you described implies that West Ham would get the full amount of the transfer - like the Guardian artilce says.

I don't think its tht simple - I even read somewhere else that Corinthians would get a large lump of the transfer fee

Well that would be OK - lots of transfers have an element of the selling club getting a portion of future sale fees.

I thought the issue was that Joorabchian could take the decision to sell Tevez without West Ham's consent.

I'm not doubting it except that its complicated by the fact that he was resigned in January.

Would Corinthians still be entitled to a fee bearing this in mind?