Finance Notes: Football Agent Challenging FFP Rules Due In Court

Italian football agent Daniel Striani's challenge to UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations is due in Brussels' Court of First Instance Thursday "in what will be a short hearing to set a schedule for handling the complaint lodged in May." Striani "has lodged a complaint with the European Commission on the basis that UEFA's Financial Fair Play Regulations are anti-competitive and will negatively impact on his ability to generate income" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/3). ... Adverse "sporting results coupled with sluggish betting activity in its shops" pushed William Hill’s operating profit £20M ($32M) below expectations for the third quarter. Group revenues rose 10%, but operating profit was down 31%, leading William Hill "to warn that while fundamental performance was good, there was no certainty it could make up the shortfall before the year’s end" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 10/3).