The Premier League has received another letter urging them not to allow Newcastle United to be sold to the consortium of which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is a part of. The letter was sent by the Human Rights Foundation and highlights what they describe as the ‘dire’ human rights situation in the country.
Journalist Rob Harris has shared images of the document received by the Premier League on Twitter – and here is how some of the club’s supporters have responded to the post.
Write to the Government selling and doing business worth billions of pounds a year with Saudi Arabia. Must be only relevant when it’s football.
— Black Garter Mags (@MulSaudi) April 24, 2020
Why are so many people trying to de-rail this deal under a human rights banner. Shocking!
— Eugene Kelly (@eugenekelly703) April 24, 2020
Mental this now, how many letters. Premier league has its own system for ownership approval, just let them do their job
— Daniel (@dansum91) April 24, 2020
So what about all Mike Ashley has put us all through, all his employees that he will willing to risk by keeping sports direct open, keep politics out of football
— Dan colledge (@ColledgeDan) April 24, 2020
MBS is not buying the football club when will people grasp that
— Andy Slaughter (@AndySlaughter) April 24, 2020
Will the takeover be completed successfully?
Yes
No
Human rights has got nothing to do with takeover
— Liam Blackburn (@lblackburn_18) April 24, 2020
Ah well we may as well scrap the entire world and start over with two stones and a stick if we are going to take the moral high ground! These people sit with their privileged lives in their privileged countries who have committed worse atrocities the hypocrisy is laughable
— ? (@Matty01207) April 24, 2020
What do we think?
It’s clear from the above responses that these fans are disappointed to see what they believe to be another attempt to derail the proposed takeover. It appears that many feel there is an element of hypocrisy in the way this is being handled and that politics has no place in football.
Human rights violations certainly should not be overlooked, but the feeling amongst these supporters is that it is an entirely separate issue to the acquisition of Newcastle United.