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FIFA targets conflict of interest

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LONDON, England -- World body FIFA will force individuals trying to take over clubs to reveal their identities as part of a drive to increase transparency in the sport, it was reported Sunday.

English football was stunned on Thursday when West Ham signed Argentine stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians.

It was later reported that Media Sports Investment, who are involved with the Brazilian club and helped facilitate the transfer, have stepped up interest in buying out Hammers chairman Terence Brown.

UEFA treasurer and Dutch FA president Mathieu Sprenger Sprenger is heading the FIFA investigation into the dangers of multiple ownership of clubs and conflicts of interest.

"I have heard about the news reports concerning West Ham. Our proposals are that all clubs must show who owns them," Sprenger told the Mail on Sunday.

"It will not be enough simply for them to show that a company owns them. They will have to show who is behind that company as well.

"The FIFA congress unanimously supported these proposals in July so there is support from all the confederations for this.

"The FIFA president (Sepp Blatter) wants them to be written at the Congress next July.

"It doesn't matter if a takeover happens before the rules are instituted - from next year all clubs would have to show their ownership and who is behind them.

"For the integrity of competitions, it has to be made clear who is in control."

West Ham did not pay anything for the services of Tevez and Mascherano, it was reported Sunday, as more details over the transfer deal emerged.

The Sunday Times reported that MSI has retained the right to determine the duo's future places of employment.

'Surrogate mother'

An advisor to MSI named by the newspaper as Renato Duprat, confirmed West Ham's role was to act as a "surrogate mother" for the players during their first year in Europe until a bigger club could be found.

Although West Ham retains the players' registrations for regulatory reasons, both contracts contain clauses that allow MSI to sell Tevez and Mascherano to another club with the Hammers receiving no proceeds from the sale.

Under the terms of the contract, West Ham will pay half of the players' salaries, 1.5 million pounds a year for Tevez, and 1 million pounds for Mascherano, the newspaper reported.

West Ham are also contractually obliged to start both players in the first team whenever they are fit to play.

The paper reported that West Ham does have the option to take "normal" control of the players but only if they make a prohibitively high payment of around 60 million pounds.

"If you look at West Ham's latest accounts, I think you will find that our contract values Tevez and Mascherano at more than the net value of the club," a source close to the deal told the paper.

The Sunday Times said MSI had initially offered the duo to a host of other clubs across Europe but settled on West Ham after Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Sevilla and AS Roma baulked at the asking price.


story.tevez.afp.gi.jpg

West Ham did not pay anything for Tevez, above, and Mascherano.

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