Forest owner relinquishes command over English Premier League squad
Nottingham Forest's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, has bid adieu to his significant influence over the Premier League club as it eyes a spot in the Champions League.
According to U.K. government filings, Marinakis, a renowned Greek businessman, is no longer considered a person with significant control of NF Football Investments Ltd, owner of Forest.
Marinakis is also the president of Olympiacos, inching towards a Champions League spot at the top of the Greek league. Yet, UEFA has regulations that could bar clubs from its competitions if owners exert decisive influence over two clubs qualifying.
With Nottingham Forest surprising the soccer world by challenging for a Champions League berth, this potential conflict arises. Forest sits sixth in the standings, just a point behind fifth-placed Chelsea, who are currently in the Champions League. Forest has a game in hand over all teams above them.
In response to this situation, Pittville One Limited has been named as a person of significant control in the new filings, while Sokratis Kominakis, a part-owner of NF Football Investments, has taken on the role of director.
This strategic maneuver by Marinakis could pave the way for both Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos to compete in the same Champions League season without violating UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. This strategy mirrors the approaches taken by City Football Group and INEOS to manage their ownership interests in multiple clubs in accordance with UEFA regulations, allowing them to compete without conflict[5].
- Evangelos Marinakis, the businessman who owns Nottingham Forest and is the president of Olympiacos, has taken a strategic step to avoid violating UEFA's multi-club ownership rules, as indicated by the change in the persons of significant control in the new filings.
- The strategic maneuver involves Sokratis Kominakis, a part-owner of NF Football Investments, taking over as director, allowing Nottingham Forest, vying for a Champions League spot, and Olympiacos, inching towards a Champions League spot themselves, to potentially compete in the same Champions League season.
- This approach follows the paths taken by City Football Group and INEOS, who manage their ownership interests in multiple clubs in a way that complies with UEFA regulations, enabling them to compete without conflicts, as they participate in different European leagues.
