Sports lawyer Farnell hails QPR result
SPORTS law expert Chris Farnell of IPS Law advised Coca Cola Championship winners QPR in its legal action with the Football Association, which saw it escape a points deduction after the signing of an Argentine player.
London-based QPR was instead fined £875,000 after being found guilty of two out of seven charges relating to the third-party ownership of midfielder Alejandro Faurlin.
The club could have missed out on promotion to the Premier League if the FA panel had imposed a stiffer sanction.
Mr Farnell, who founded niche Hale-based practice IPS Law in 2006 after leaving Hill Dickinson, said: “I am pleased with what is a very, very good result for QPR.
“I have been involved in the matter since its inception last August and unfortunately it came to its conclusion much later than anyone wanted.”
He said comments in the media from “so called experts” pronouncing QPR would be deducted 15 points had put “intolerable pressure” on the club’s players, management and officials, but the independent panel had reached the right conclusion.
“They imposed sanction on two of the lesser charges and the club has been fined £875,000. We have not seen the detail on this yet, so we don’t know if its is something we will appeal.”
Mr Farnell is no stranger to legal cases surrounding the controversial question of third-party player ownership. He acted for Sheffield United players in the aftermath of the Carlos Tevez/West Ham affair in 2008.
