Independent Football Regulator reveals plans to strengthen Owners and Directors test to 'shut out rogue owners'

The office for the incoming Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has set out its plans for how it intends to strengthen the current Owners and Directors test in it's bid to "shut out rogue owners and promote sound investment in football."

The point of the Owners, Directors and Senior Executives (ODSE) Test is to protect clubs and their fans from unsuitable owners, directors and senior executives, while also raising standards by building on current tests that have been used by the Premier League and EFL.

It is also in place to take action when owners or directors of all 116 regulated clubs in England's top-five leagues - from the Premier League to the National League - fail to meet requirements.

The new ODSE Test intends be more robust than current regimes, with greater due diligence and checks on owners. That includes access to domestic and international banks where funds may be held, checks with law enforcement agencies and checks with other regulatory bodies.

However, it is key to make clear that the ODSE Test does not have to taken by current owners, directors or senior executives and they do not have to apply. Only new prospective custodians will be required to apply for the test.

However incoming the Football Regulator is intent on making it clear that if it has any concerns about the suitability of an existing owner, director or senior executive, it will be able to intervene and take action.

As part of the new ODSE regime, it can:

Impose fines

Bar the individual from taking certain actions or exercising certain rights

Appoint a third party to run the club in their place

Require an owner to sell the club within a reasonable timeframe

And if they fail to do that, appoint a third party to sell the club

The ODSE regime is also based on case-by-case judgement rather than binary disqualification criteria, so it is not a one-size fits all test.

It is a major part of The Football Governance Bill - which received Royal Assent in July with the aim of having the football regulator up and running by the end of Autumn.

As the new Football Regulator is part of UK law, it has the power to holds clubs and individuals to account with significant penalties at it's disposal.

The new ODSE Test has to go through a consultation process first which began on Thursday and runs until October 6th.

It is also hoped that the current checks and inquiries into the proposed Chair of the Football Regulator -David Kogan - will be concluded by then and he can formally by appointed.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Sky Sports News' senior reporter Rob Dorsett discusses what we know about the government's preferred option for a new independent football regulator chair, David Kogan.

While the Football Regulator has been broadly welcomed, many have urged the Regulator to work with a 'light touch' - allowing English club football to grow both off the pitch economically and on the pitch as a world leading product.

So the Football Regulator's objectives around the financial management of clubs and club heritage will not cover on-pitch related decisions.

Click here to read article