Premier League - West Ham 'fined £30m over Tevez'

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Sep 22:00:00 2008

Sheffield United have won their compensation claim against West Ham after an independent tribunal ruled in the South Yorkshire club's favour regarding the Carlos Tevez affair.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Premier League - Carlos Tevez, West Ham - 0

Blades chairman Kevin McCabe revealed that the FA-appointed tribunal found the Hammers guilty of breaching league regulations when they signed Tevez and Argentine compatriot Javier Mascherano, now at Liverpool, at the beginning of the 2006-07 season.

"I can confirm that both clubs have been notified of the ruling," he told the club's official website.

"The arbitration panel has awarded in our favour. The matter is still legally in process so I do not wish to comment any further until we have completed that process."

In response to press reports that West Ham face a £30m pay-out to Sheffield United, McCabe said it would be "inappropriate" to discuss the figure at present.

A West Ham spokesperson told the BBC: "We need to digest the full findings of the arbitration panel and will consult our lawyers on the next steps we might take before making any further comment."

The Football Association confirmed that there was no further right of appeal against the latest ruling.

"The dispute has been heard by a private independent arbitration tribunal set up under the FA's rules," the governing body stated.

"The arbitration tribunal is comprised of one member nominated by each club, plus an independent member agreed upon by the two parties.

"All aspects of the arbitration, including publicity, are then a matter for the arbitration tribunal and the two parties concerned.

"For clarity, the FA did not sit in judgment on this case, did not have any influence on the decision and did not appoint any of the tribunal members."

The three-man panel consisted of former MCC president Lord Griffiths, former High Court judge Sir Anthony Colman and Robert Englehart QC.

West Ham avoided relegation on the final day of the 2006-07 season at the expense of the Bramall Lane outfit, with Tevez scoring the only goal of the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford - his sixth in the final 10 matches.

He subsequently moved to the Red Devils and helped them become Premier League and European champions in 2007-2008.

The original three-man Premier League arbitration panel, which agreed that West Ham had contravened rules on third-party ownership of players, fined the East London club £5.5m instead of imposing a points penalty which would have seen Sheffield United stay up.

The Championship club have since pursued monetary compensation for the losses incurred by relegation, estimated by them at £50m, which include gate receipts, matchday income from hospitality and restaurants and broadcasting monies.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 158 - 177 of 237

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  1. Sheffield United, what a joke outfit you really are

    From , on Tue 23 Sep 2:36PM

  2. The deal was dubious from the start, but as history shows if it comes down to the last game to decide relegation then the team were not good enough to sustain premier league status...thats it...this compensation after the event is pathetic...and should rightly embarrass the sheffield united board, players and fans alike...Tevez was brought into the english game and has proved his quality..and both hammers and united fans will always appreciate his professionalism,workrate and skill....and the english game is all the better for it!

    From stuartxland, on Tue 23 Sep 2:36PM

  3. Football clubs have insurance just like other companies for this eventuality.

    It won't hurt the club in any other way than increased insurance costs.

    From Leslie, on Tue 23 Sep 2:33PM

  4. The thought had occoured who has to pay the 30m, it is not fair to the current administration to impose a compensation package on them for others mistakes.
    for example if you bought a second hand car and you recived the previous owners speeding fines you would have every right to be upset.
    as for the claims that sheffield missed out on 50m is a joke they are not that big a club and never will be.

    From dave w, on Tue 23 Sep 2:32PM

  5. It's old news, who cares apart from the Sheffield United fans. They have a right to complain, who can blame them they went down and we stayed up.

    From simeon, on Tue 23 Sep 2:31PM

  6. What has Man Utd got to do with it chris h

    From mark n, on Tue 23 Sep 2:27PM

  7. IT,S UNBELEIVABLE THAT ALL THESE THICK BONEHEADS KEEP COMMENTING ON SHEFFIELD UTD WERE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO STAY UP, AND ALL THEY NEEDED WAS A POINT FROM THE LAST GAME,AND WEST HAM HAD ALREADY BEEN PUNISHED, THE FACT REMAINS W HAM WEST LIED AND CHEATED, THEY BROKE THE RULES THEY WERE FIND 6M ON 27TH APRIL 2007 ,AND THEN CONTINUED TO PLAY TEVEZ EVEN THOUGH HE WAS STILL INELIGABLE TO PLAY I THINK 30M COMPENSATION SHOULD BE MORE LIKE 150M COMPENSATION AND A FORFEIT OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE STATUS.

    From alexivatravel@..., on Tue 23 Sep 2:20PM

  8. sheffield ARE pure @#$%..
    jealous of us having him in the premiership..
    and clearly skint asking for 30 mill

    joke!!

    From lcarter60, on Tue 23 Sep 2:17PM

  9. PS: just noted that my previous comment was rated down. for the avoidance of doubt, I am not commenting on the correctness of the decision or not, more the reasons why Sheff U took the case in the first place.

    From corinna_harris, on Tue 23 Sep 2:13PM

  10. to sallyjtaylor73... I think I could live with the 'embarassment' if I had an extra £30M in my pocket !

    From paulb164, on Tue 23 Sep 2:12PM

  11. ...and just pointing out the obvious - if Sheff Utd were THAT good they would have come straight back up to the Premiership rather than finishing 9th in the Championship.

    From Martin H, on Tue 23 Sep 2:09PM

  12. SHEFFIELD SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED BY THIS ... 30MIL WOT A JOKE. YOU WERENT GOOD ENOUGH, YOU WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH. KEEP UR HEADS HELD HIGH BOYS, YOU ARE DOING GREAT DO NOT LET THIS GET YOU DOWN...
    WHU FAN FOREVER XX

    From Sally, on Tue 23 Sep 2:03PM

  13. Sheff utd going to court on this is the outcome of a commercial decision. There is an area of dispute, the cost of arguing the dispute v the benefit to be gained if successful make it worthwhile pursuing the dispute. That's all there is to it - a business decision by directors who owe a duty to their shareholders (and would be in breach of that duty if they dont pursue the case). Commercial logic dictates that if you were in charge of a company that lost up to £60m because rules were not enforced properly, I think you would take the case too. Its not about being bitter losers or not being good enough, its about the commercial decision. PS: I am not a sheff utd fan, just an independent.

    From corinna_harris, on Tue 23 Sep 1:59PM

  14. HAS ANYONE THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCE OF TODAYS VERDICT.....WHAT HAPPENS IF WEST HAM AND SHEFFIELD ARE DRAWN AGAINST EACH OTHER IN THE FA CUP.....OR WILL THE COURT DECIDE THE OUTCOME!

    From wwoody@..., on Tue 23 Sep 1:57PM

  15. I can't believe what this world is coming to, how petty can people be? If sheffield united were any good they would have stayed up on their own merit. Who will they seek compensation from next? Fans who leave turds in the toilet bowl at Brammall Lane?!

    From Maxine, on Tue 23 Sep 1:52PM

  16. Hahahahahaha £30 million won't put West Ham in administration!!!! hahahaha IF they have to pay, the money is already there to be taken! It was partly raised by the selling of George McCartney and Anton Ferdinand! And by the "letting go" of high earners such as Freddie Ljungberg :)

    From Matt, on Tue 23 Sep 1:52PM

  17. Awful decision. Just awful. While I feel sympathy for Sheffield United (as any real football fan does for an opponent when they get relegated) the Tevez affair was just one tiny small factor in their relegation from the Premiership. Why not sue Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool for putting out weakened teams every time they had a C.League game coming up? Or suing the refs for incorrect decisions? Or suiing the League for changing certain games to a Sunday? Or suing Warnock for picking the wrong team? Or suing opposing-team groundsmen for not cutting the grass to the perfect length for Sheff Utd? Pathetic!!

    From Martin H, on Tue 23 Sep 1:52PM

  18. DID WEST HAM NOT PAY THE RECORD FINE FOR THIS ALREADY OR ARE WE NOW CAPABLE OF BEING CONVICTED FOR THE SAME CRIME TWICE NICE ONE FOOTBALL LEAGUE

    From leongibson@..., on Tue 23 Sep 1:48PM

  19. This is disgusting, West Ham are in financial difficulty as it is.
    Should'nt the FA have ruled out the transfer to West Ham of Tevez & Mascherano in the first place.

    Manchester Utd & Liverpool should be fined instead.
    I am an Everton fan, but would not like to see West Ham go under.
    SHAME ON U.

    Sarah Howard, West Sussex

    From Delboy, on Tue 23 Sep 1:47PM

  20. brilliant!! "up the blades"
    *%$@ martin samuals !!!

    From ian.baker25@..., on Tue 23 Sep 1:47PM
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