State Aid and Football clubs under the spotlight....

[ian1964 10,415]

Court suspends Madrid's Bernabeu project

 

01 Aug 2014 16:00:00

 

The club's spectacular plans for the renovation of their stadium have been brought to a halt amid an investigation by the European Commission into alleged "illegal public help"

Real Madrid's plans to renovate the Santiago Bernabeu have been suspended by the Spanish High Court amid an investigation by the European Commission into alleged corruption.

 

Madrid unveiled their proposals for the spectacular stadium in January, with the all-new Bernabeu to include a shopping centre complex and a hotel in an area to cover 12,250 metres adjacent to the ground - almost half of which is currently unoccupied land and would be given to the club as part of the agreement.

 

In order to approve those plans, Madrid's government approved changes to the city's General Urbanisation Plan from 2011.

 

However, the European Commission has opened an investigation into possible "illegal public assistance" by part of the government towards the club.

 

A group of ecologists have also filed an official complaint claiming that Madrid reneged on a previous agreement to build an underground car park and a walkway giving access to the stadium in 1991.

 

"The club never fulfilled its part and ended up owing the government €2.8 million," a statement from the action group Ecologistas en Accion AEDENAT read.

 

The Spanish High Court have decided that the European investigation means there are sufficient grounds to bring a halt to the €400m project.

 

The Madrid government dismissed the High Court ruling in a statement on Friday which read: "The agreement between the Madrid government and Real Madrid, which is supposedly the cause of the procedure opened by the European Union, has nothing to do with the modficition of the [urban] planning. Therefore, it makes no sense to halt these modifications when they have absolutely no relation to the proprietary agreement."

 

Madrid, meanwhile, have 10 days to lodge an official appeal against the High Court decision.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4680/spain/2014/08/01/4997797/court-suspends-madrids-bernabeu-project

[ian1964 10,415]

Vanguard Bears have learned of yet more concern for Celtic Football Club.

 

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, we have received news that the European Commission, as part of their probe into the alleged State Aid given to the troubled football club, have found reason to investigate NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GCC) as well as East Dunbartonshire Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Lennoxtown Initiative.

 

Featured below is correspondence between Ana Richardson, Head of the State Aid Unit of the Scottish Government, and one of our members where she states that the European Commisson are investigating transactions between Glasgow City Council, Celtic FC and NHS Greater Glasgow.

 

http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/ec-investigating-celtic-and-nhs.html

[ian1964 10,415]

Why GCC does not want to give up Westhorn Geotechnical report: It’s Celtic’s. GCC could not be bothered independently verifying.

 

http://footballtaxhavens.wordpress.com/2014/08/12/why-gcc-does-not-want-to-give-up-westhorn-geotechnical-report-its-celtics-gcc-could-not-be-bothered-independently-verifying/

[barca72 440]

You can almost taste the end result now.

Well done to VB and PZJ.

[Super Cooper 0]

I would bet my mortgage nothing will come of this. Celtic are far too well connected.

[blueflag 378]

I would bet my mortgage nothing will come of this. Celtic are far too well connected.

Indeed. Common they just refused there standing request can't go upsetting the boss again dear

[Tannochsidebear 2,314]

I would guess that the cheating chunts will be absolved as well. But when you start adding up all the illegal assistance they have got over the years, and hopefully all this is provided to the European Commission to investigate (our best chance at an impartial investigation) it could just, in our dreams, get an honest verdict.

 

Of course any national newspaper/broadcaster worth their salt should be all over this story as it all comes together, but they would rather not for some reason.

[Juancornetto 1]

I would guess that the cheating chunts will be absolved as well. But when you start adding up all the illegal assistance they have got over the years, and hopefully all this is provided to the European Commission to investigate (our best chance at an impartial investigation) it could just, in our dreams, get an honest verdict.

 

Of course any national newspaper/broadcaster worth their salt should be all over this story as it all comes together, but they would rather not for some reason.

 

I can understand them backing away from this up until lately however, there IS an investigation by the European Commission and that surely has to be worthy of some column inches if not front page news. It's starting to look like the media blackout that we know they're capable of.

 

Meanwhile, our own board and managements love affair with money keeps them occupied and toothless.

[Super Cooper 0]

There is never ever anything impartial with these people. They have friends and people looking out for them everywhere.

[ian1964 10,415]

NHSGGC say they have no copy of Minutes of Corporate Governance meeting approving Lennoxtown sale to Celtic

 

http://footballtaxhavens.wordpress.com/2014/08/14/nhsggc-say-they-have-no-copy-of-minutes-of-corporate-governance-meeting-approving-lennoxtown-sale-to-celtic/