EPL To Prevent ManU From Wearing FIFA Badge In League Games

EPL Bans ManU From Wearing FIFA Badge Commemorating Its Club World Cup Victory

The EPL has "banned Manchester United from displaying on their shirts a FIFA badge commemorating their victory in the FIFA Club World Cup in December," according to Sam Wallace of the London INDEPENDENT. The badge, which is silver and is "positioned on United's shirt between the club crest and kit manufacturer's logo," was worn during the club's Champions League match last night against Italian Serie A club Inter Milan. But an EPL spokesperson said that the EPL BOD has "made the decision not to allow United to wear the logo on their shirts when they play league games." The spokesperson: "When teams play in our competition they wear a Premier League badge. We wouldn't expect that Premier League badge to be worn on shirts when our teams are playing in the Champions League, the League Cup or FA Cup." Wallace notes FIFA President Sepp Blatter was "understood to be disbelieving" of the EPL's decision (London INDEPENDENT, 3/12). In London, Rory Smith reports there are fears the stand-off "could spill over and harm England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup." Sources close to the bid "accept that such a skirmish is unlikely to be a deal-breaker but believe acquiescing to FIFA's wishes would avoid possible loss of good will" with the governing body (London TELEGRAPH, 3/12). In Manchester, Kevin McCarra wrote the stand-off "reflects more serious divisions," as Blatter also "brought with him the legal opinion that states FIFA could impose the 'six plus five' rule that would insist on a majority of native footballers in club sides." EPL CEO Richard Scudamore will "meet Blatter in the next few weeks" (GUARDIAN.co.uk, 3/11).

HOLDING PATTERN: Kuwaiti business exec Refad al-Kharafi said that a consortium of potential investors of which he is a member "could revive interest in" EPL club Liverpool if club co-Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett "lower the asking price." al-Kharafi added that the investors "could be interested if the owners were willing to renegotiate their valuation, but 'it remained a group decision'" (REUTERS, 3/10).