Newcastle United takeover will ‘greatly stain’ Premier League, says Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée

Newcastle United takeover will ‘greatly stain’ Premier League, says Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée

The PIF is part of a tripartite agreement led by PCP Capital Partners, venture capital and private equity firm led by British businesswoman Amanda Staveley, and real estate company Reuben Brothers, which wants to buy the club from English businessman Mike. Ashley.

Hatice Cengiz’s calls come amid criticism from human rights group Amnesty, which claims that the PIF, chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, uses the Premier League as a “public relations tool” to “wash away” sport “the country’s poor human rights record.

“The British authorities and the Premier League (sic) should not allow someone like Mohamed Bin Salman (sic), who has not yet held any responsibility for the murder of my late fiancé, Jamal Khashoggi, to be if involved in sports in the UK, “Cengiz said in a statement.

Mohammed bin Salman chairs the investment fund to take over Newcastle United.

“To do otherwise will significantly damage the reputation of the Premier League and the United Kingdom. Mohamed Bin Salman is strategically using international sports to repair his badly damaged reputation after the murder of Jamal.”

Last December, Saudi Arabia sentenced five people to death for the murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The CIA concluded in 2018 that bin Salman had personally ordered the murder of Khashoggi, which the crown prince denies.

The PIF did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. Previous requests to PIF and Saudi officials for comment regarding the Newcastle takeover also went unanswered.

The Premier League declined to comment when contacted by CNN, while PCP lawyers did not respond to a previous request for comment.

The Newcastle takeover was also criticized by the Qatar-based media giant beIN amid concerns over Saudi Arabia’s alleged involvement in illegally broadcast football matches.

BeIN, which has exclusive rights to the Premier League in the Middle East and North Africa, said the Premier League “would investigate the potential buyer of the club” – comments to which the Premier League declined to respond.

According to Premier League rules, potential new club owners must pass the organization and appropriate person test.

If the deal is made, that would end Ashley’s 13 year ownership of Newcastle.