The Football League has extended Massimo Cellino’s disqualification as Leeds United owner until the end of the season, relating to non-disclosure of court documents last year.
It means the Italian is not permitted to act as a “relevant person” at the Championship club until 3 May – the day after United’s season finishes – having initially been disqualified until 10 April by the League, who ruled in December that Cellino had fallen foul of its owners’ and directors’ test after failing to pay import duty on a yacht in Sardinia.
Cellino’s conviction for evading nearly €390,000 (£305,000) in import tax is a first grade offence in Italy, which he is appealing against. The Guardian obtained judge Sandra Lepore’s full written verdict on the case in September last year, although the Football League had not received a copy and did not move to bar the colourful former Cagliari owner until December.
A League statement read: “The Football League, Leeds United and Massimo Cellino have settled the outstanding disciplinary proceedings relating to the club’s non-disclosure of the Italian Court’s judgment regarding Mr Cellino, as required under League regulations.
“The club and Mr Cellino have decided in the interests of the club, its players and supporters not to contest this charge. As a result, Mr Cellino’s period of disqualification as a ‘relevant person’, as defined by the regulations, has now been extended from 10 April until 3 May, the day after the conclusion of the 2014-15 league season.”
In a convoluted statement on the club’s website last month, Cellino announced that he would not be returning as Leeds owner once his Football League ban ended. The club stated it would challenge the “correctness in law” of the League’s decision to bar Cellino through a Rule K hearing. A Football Association Rule K hearing could see the Italian take the League to an independent arbitration tribunal, which may prove a lengthy process.
The League statement continued: “Mr Cellino’s right to challenge the decision of the professional conduct committee under Football Association Rule K is unaffected by this settlement.”
Leeds have steered clear of the Championship relegation zone in recent weeks and currently sit 13 points above the bottom three.
