Biting the Bulat: Football's most controversial club owner?

By Greg Duke, CNN

Updated 1854 GMT (0254 HKT) December 13, 2011

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Bulat Chagaev's reign as the owner of Neuchatel Xamax is turning into one of the biggest soap operas in the relatively serene world of Swiss football. Sackings, fan disputes, fraud allegations, court battles, visa issues and lots more in just six months at the helm have made the Chechen as one of the most controversial people to ever own a football club.

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Chaos reigns in Neuchatel – Bulat Chagaev's reign as the owner of Neuchatel Xamax is turning into one of the biggest soap operas in the relatively serene world of Swiss football. Sackings, fan disputes, fraud allegations, court battles, visa issues and lots more in just six months at the helm have made the Chechen as one of the most controversial people to ever own a football club.

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Career criminal and paramilitary leader Arkan took over Serb club FK Obilic in June 1996 and, under his leadership, led the previously unheralded club to their one and only Yugoslav league title in their first season in the top flight. A book called "How Football Explains the World'"claims Arkan threatened players on opposing teams if they scored against Obilic, while he recruited army veterans to chant threats inside the stadium. One of the most feared men of the 20th century, Arkan was assassinated in 2000 before facing charges of crimes against humanity.

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Notorious owner feared by players – Career criminal and paramilitary leader Arkan took over Serb club FK Obilic in June 1996 and, under his leadership, led the previously unheralded club to their one and only Yugoslav league title in their first season in the top flight. A book called "How Football Explains the World'"claims Arkan threatened players on opposing teams if they scored against Obilic, while he recruited army veterans to chant threats inside the stadium. One of the most feared men of the 20th century, Arkan was assassinated in 2000 before facing charges of crimes against humanity.

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Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra bought Manchester City in June 2007 before selling the English club to the current Abu Dhabi owners for a whopping $180 million profit just 15 months later. Allegations of financial corruption resulted in Thaksin's government being overthrown by a military junta in 2006. With warrants out for his arrest, Thaksin requested political asylum in Britain, which was denied. He remains in self-imposed exile and now has Montenegrin citizenship.

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Huge profit for former Thai PM – Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra bought Manchester City in June 2007 before selling the English club to the current Abu Dhabi owners for a whopping $180 million profit just 15 months later. Allegations of financial corruption resulted in Thaksin's government being overthrown by a military junta in 2006. With warrants out for his arrest, Thaksin requested political asylum in Britain, which was denied. He remains in self-imposed exile and now has Montenegrin citizenship.

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Oxford is more famous as an English university town but, under the chairmanship of media mogul Robert Maxwell, its unheralded football team reached the top division and won the League Cup in 1986. Maxwell mysteriously drowned in 1991, and after his death it emerged he had used millions of pounds from pension funds to shore up his ailing business empire.

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Media mogul's Oxford influence – Oxford is more famous as an English university town but, under the chairmanship of media mogul Robert Maxwell, its unheralded football team reached the top division and won the League Cup in 1986. Maxwell mysteriously drowned in 1991, and after his death it emerged he had used millions of pounds from pension funds to shore up his ailing business empire.

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Jesus Gil was a right-wing politican and mayor of the Spanish resort of Marbella. He took over as president of Atletico Madrid in 1987 and spent a colorful 16 years at the helm. Known for his outspoken views on a wide range of subjects, he became obsessed with winning the Spanish title with Atletico and sacked a succession of coaches before Raddy Antic achieved the owner's dream in 1996.

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Mayor obsessed with title – Jesus Gil was a right-wing politican and mayor of the Spanish resort of Marbella. He took over as president of Atletico Madrid in 1987 and spent a colorful 16 years at the helm. Known for his outspoken views on a wide range of subjects, he became obsessed with winning the Spanish title with Atletico and sacked a succession of coaches before Raddy Antic achieved the owner's dream in 1996.

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Story highlights

Chechen-born Bulat Chagaev is the controversial owner of Neuchatel Xamax
Chagaev has already sacked four coaches since taking over Swiss club in May
The club are in trouble with Swiss league for failing to supply information about their finances
Chagaev is also being investigated regarding a forged Bank of America document

Life is never dull at Neuchatel Xamax, at least not since Bulat Chagaev took over the reins of the Swiss football club in May.

In just seven months since the Chechen businessman bought previous owner Sylvio Bernasconi's majority stake, sacking has followed sacking, rumors have run rife, and contr