Leeds United owner ready to fight Football League at European Court of Human Rights

Leeds United’s controversial owner Massimo Cellino is preparing to take the Football league to the European Court of Human Rights regarding his most recent ban.

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 has filed an appeal against the ban and the Football League has suspended it until his appeal is heard by a league arbitration panel.

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.

But to prevent this from happening, Cellino is preparing to bring the fight to the Football League and even take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if his appeal fails, according to his lawyer Georgio Altieri.

Alterieri, who works for Tonucci & Partners legal firm, was quoted by La Republica as saying: “This time the chance to get clarification on the whole story is (greater).

“Even if we get no justice, we will appeal to the High Court and then the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

“We believe we can clarify a story which, unfortunately, is delaying the revival of one of the most popular clubs in English football.”

Since taking over Leeds in April 2014, Cellino has dismissed a total of five managers and received two suspensions by the Football League within a year.