Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino appeals Football League ban

Elland Road is quickly becoming as known for its boardroom drama as it is for football, and the ongoing issues off the pitch don’t appear to be getting resolved anytime soon.

Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino has filed an appeal against The Football League’s decision to ban him for a second time in a year.

The Italian businessman was disqualified under the Football League’s owners and directors’ test due to his conviction for not paying taxes in his home country this past June. Cellino was ordered to pay €40k (£28.5k) by an Italian court for non-payment of import duty on a Range Rover he’d imported to Sardinia from the United States.

Cellino submitted his appeal ahead of his October 28th deadline to contest the ban. If he is unsuccessful, Cellino will likely be prohibited to have any role as an owner or director of the Leeds United until June 2016, 12 months after the date of his conviction.

A statement from the Football League said: “The Football League can confirm that the legal representatives of Leeds United President Massimo Cellino have lodged an appeal against his recent disqualification under the League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test.

“The appeal will be heard in due course by an independent League Arbitration Panel.”

Since the ban was issued, Cellino has also received a backlash from the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust (LUST), who have urged the chairman and the minority shareholder Gulf Finance House to sell their stakes in Leeds United, and “act in the best interests of the club and its supporters and the Football League to bring clarity to this endless situation.”

Due to League regulations, Cellino is able to continue to run Leeds until November 11th, 28 days from when his ban was announced.

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