(no subject)
Manchester United and Chelsea facing calls for fresh inquiry into Mikel transfer
DANIEL KING and LEE SORRELL Last updated at 10:15 PM on 23rd May 2009
Manchester United and Chelsea are facing calls for the investigation into the John Obi Mikel's controversial transfer to be re-opened.
The Norwegian Football Federation want the English Football Association and FIFA to look again at the case because new information has emerged.
The clubs must have thought it was the end of the matter when they and Mikel, together with Norwegian club FC Lyn, signed a settlement under which Chelsea paid United £12million and Lyn £4m to sign Mikel and all sides withdrew allegations of serious rule breaches.
But The Mail On Sunday has obtained a copy of the agreement and a number of other documents which have come to light following the conviction last year of former Lyn chief executive Morgan Andersen for forging Mikel's professional contract before striking a deal to sell him to United in April 2005.
The documents and evidence heard at Andersen's trial strongly suggest that a number of regulations were breached during Mikel's tortuous journey from Nigeria to Stamford Bridge via South Africa, Norway and Old Trafford.
A few days after signing an option agreement with United, Mikel had disappeared from Norway and re-emerged in London, where he gave an interview claiming he had been pressured into signing for United and wanted to join Chelsea instead.
United expressed serious concerns for the player's well-being and called for maximum penalties against Chelsea and certain agents if any offences were proved.
Now it has emerged that the deed of settlement, drafted by Chelsea's lawyers, Hammonds, and signed by all the parties, not only required Mikel, United, Lyn and Chelsea to withdraw the allegations they had made to FIFA, the FA and the Premier League against each other and certain agents - but also, according to clause 11.2 of the contract, not to 'take any step to encourage any Football Authority or other statutory or judicial authority to investigate Mikel or his playing registration'.
Furthermore, Mikel was required under clause 8.4 'to notify the Norwegian police that he does not wish to proceed with the Norwegian Criminal Complaint'.
He subsequently signed the draft letter to police appended to the settlement. But the Norwegian police did not give up the case and in March 2008, Andersen was fined and given a suspended one-year jail sentence for forging Mikel's professional contract. State prosecutor Svein Holden said: 'The police told me they thought the case was too serious and the parties to the agreement were doing what was best for them. The agreement made both the investigation and the trial more difficult.
'I thought there would be some action by FIFA, the English FA or someone after the conviction, but it's only the NFF. I'm surprised.'
The deed of settlement, along with other documents, feature in The Missing Diamond, a book by Norwegian journalists Lars Backe Madsen and Jens M Johansson which tells the whole story of Mikel in the context of the transfer of young footballers around the world. Following the trial, the Norwegian Football Federation fined Lyn and Rune Hauge, the agent who infamously paid George Graham the bung which cost him his job, for their roles in the Mikel affair.
The NFF then wrote to FIFA and the English FA, drawing their attention to Andersen's conviction and revelations about the case contained in the book.
NFF general secretary Karen Espelund said: 'We need to take every case on and that's why the English FA and FIFA have to consider how they have handled it.
'You have to protect football. In this matter (the Mikel case) it's about football's reputation and we are all responsible for that.
'I would be happy to see a thorough investigation of the case because it raises so many questions. There may be good answers. But if there are not good answers, there should be consequences.'
A fundamental issue is how and why Mikel and two fellow Nigerians all under the age of 18 came to be in Norway in the autumn of 2004. FIFA rules forbid the international transfer of minors, and in June 2005 the NFF raised serious concerns with FIFA.
After Mikel had made the forgery complaint in November 2005, FIFA legal director Heinz Tannler wrote to the NFF saying no probe could take place while police were investigating.
Andersen was convicted in March 2008 and later in the year, Chelsea took legal action against him and Lyn to recover the £16m they had paid on the basis of the forged contract.
Lyn reached a settlement for a token amount, but Chelsea are reserving their rights regarding Andersen. Chelsea and United yesterday declined to comment.
The Sunday Mail
tldr?
Mikel's transfer from Africa to FC Lyn and from FC Lyn to Manchester United (via Chelsea) asks some questions after the Mail receives documents regarding the handling of the Mikel transfers.
Former Chief Executive Morgan Anderson got into trouble over his dealings and handling of transfers, info is released because of his court case which in turn makes the Norweign Football Federation question FIFA and the English FA over their unawareness of the supposed mess.
FIFA are also interested in how Mikel and 2 other under 18s at the time managed to transfer and play in the Norweign League from Africa when it's against FIFA law.
DANIEL KING and LEE SORRELL Last updated at 10:15 PM on 23rd May 2009
Manchester United and Chelsea are facing calls for the investigation into the John Obi Mikel's controversial transfer to be re-opened.
The Norwegian Football Federation want the English Football Association and FIFA to look again at the case because new information has emerged.
The clubs must have thought it was the end of the matter when they and Mikel, together with Norwegian club FC Lyn, signed a settlement under which Chelsea paid United £12million and Lyn £4m to sign Mikel and all sides withdrew allegations of serious rule breaches.
But The Mail On Sunday has obtained a copy of the agreement and a number of other documents which have come to light following the conviction last year of former Lyn chief executive Morgan Andersen for forging Mikel's professional contract before striking a deal to sell him to United in April 2005.
The documents and evidence heard at Andersen's trial strongly suggest that a number of regulations were breached during Mikel's tortuous journey from Nigeria to Stamford Bridge via South Africa, Norway and Old Trafford.
A few days after signing an option agreement with United, Mikel had disappeared from Norway and re-emerged in London, where he gave an interview claiming he had been pressured into signing for United and wanted to join Chelsea instead.
United expressed serious concerns for the player's well-being and called for maximum penalties against Chelsea and certain agents if any offences were proved.
Now it has emerged that the deed of settlement, drafted by Chelsea's lawyers, Hammonds, and signed by all the parties, not only required Mikel, United, Lyn and Chelsea to withdraw the allegations they had made to FIFA, the FA and the Premier League against each other and certain agents - but also, according to clause 11.2 of the contract, not to 'take any step to encourage any Football Authority or other statutory or judicial authority to investigate Mikel or his playing registration'.
Furthermore, Mikel was required under clause 8.4 'to notify the Norwegian police that he does not wish to proceed with the Norwegian Criminal Complaint'.
He subsequently signed the draft letter to police appended to the settlement. But the Norwegian police did not give up the case and in March 2008, Andersen was fined and given a suspended one-year jail sentence for forging Mikel's professional contract. State prosecutor Svein Holden said: 'The police told me they thought the case was too serious and the parties to the agreement were doing what was best for them. The agreement made both the investigation and the trial more difficult.
'I thought there would be some action by FIFA, the English FA or someone after the conviction, but it's only the NFF. I'm surprised.'
The deed of settlement, along with other documents, feature in The Missing Diamond, a book by Norwegian journalists Lars Backe Madsen and Jens M Johansson which tells the whole story of Mikel in the context of the transfer of young footballers around the world. Following the trial, the Norwegian Football Federation fined Lyn and Rune Hauge, the agent who infamously paid George Graham the bung which cost him his job, for their roles in the Mikel affair.
The NFF then wrote to FIFA and the English FA, drawing their attention to Andersen's conviction and revelations about the case contained in the book.
NFF general secretary Karen Espelund said: 'We need to take every case on and that's why the English FA and FIFA have to consider how they have handled it.
'You have to protect football. In this matter (the Mikel case) it's about football's reputation and we are all responsible for that.
'I would be happy to see a thorough investigation of the case because it raises so many questions. There may be good answers. But if there are not good answers, there should be consequences.'
A fundamental issue is how and why Mikel and two fellow Nigerians all under the age of 18 came to be in Norway in the autumn of 2004. FIFA rules forbid the international transfer of minors, and in June 2005 the NFF raised serious concerns with FIFA.
After Mikel had made the forgery complaint in November 2005, FIFA legal director Heinz Tannler wrote to the NFF saying no probe could take place while police were investigating.
Andersen was convicted in March 2008 and later in the year, Chelsea took legal action against him and Lyn to recover the £16m they had paid on the basis of the forged contract.
Lyn reached a settlement for a token amount, but Chelsea are reserving their rights regarding Andersen. Chelsea and United yesterday declined to comment.
The Sunday Mail
tldr?
Mikel's transfer from Africa to FC Lyn and from FC Lyn to Manchester United (via Chelsea) asks some questions after the Mail receives documents regarding the handling of the Mikel transfers.
Former Chief Executive Morgan Anderson got into trouble over his dealings and handling of transfers, info is released because of his court case which in turn makes the Norweign Football Federation question FIFA and the English FA over their unawareness of the supposed mess.
FIFA are also interested in how Mikel and 2 other under 18s at the time managed to transfer and play in the Norweign League from Africa when it's against FIFA law.