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The Premier League announced on Thursday that Newcastle had been
sold to a group consisting of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment
Fund, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media.
The investment group had previously made public a 305 million
pound ($415 million) bid to buy the club in April 2020. That
deal collapsed three months later amid scrutiny from the league,
which came under pressure to stop the sale due to concerns over
alleged broadcast piracy in Saudi Arabia.
The piracy dispute involved Qatari-owned beIN Sports, the
league's broadcast rights holder across the Middle East, which
had been barred from operating in Saudi Arabia. That ban was
lifted on Wednesday, clearing a major hurdle to the takeover.
The Guardian said the 19 Premier League clubs are understood to
be united in opposition to a Saudi-led consortium being allowed
to buy out former owner Mike Ashley.
The clubs have also raised concerns that the league's brand
"could be damaged" by Saudi Arabia's PIF - chaired by Crown
Prince Mohammed Bin Salman - taking an 80% stake in Newcastle,
the report added.
On Thursday, Amnesty International urged the Premier League to
change its owners' and directors' test to address human rights
issues.
Human rights groups have condemned Saudi Arabia's efforts to "sportswash"
its human rights record but the kingdom's government denies
allegations of human rights abuses and says it is protecting
national security from extremists and external actors.
($1 = 0.7347 pounds)
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln
Feast.)
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