West Ham boosted as Premier League frees striker Tevez to face Latics
Tevez’s immediate future was in some doubt after West Ham were handed a record £5.5 million fine for breaching Premier League rules over the signings of the Argentinian and his international team-mate Javier Mascherano.
West Ham had been told Tevez was ineligible to play unless they cancelled the third party agreement that existed in his original contract or amended it to the satisfaction of the Premier League.
That essentially meant West Ham would have to stump up around £20m to buy Tevez outright or come to a genuine loan deal with the player’s part-owner Kia Joorabchian.
However, the club have made quick progress on a new agreement and last night received confirmation from the Premier League that Tevez can play in tomorrow’s vital clash with relegation rivals Wigan.
A club statement read: “Following discussions with the FA Premier League, West Ham United can confirm Carlos Tevez is available for selection for the rest of the season, including tomorrow’s game against Wigan Athletic.
“The actual registration of Carlos Tevez has not been called into question and he remains a West Ham United player approved by the Premier League.”
West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson said: “I am delighted that our destiny will be decided on the football pitch, which I believe is only right. We can now look forward to the final three matches without this cloud hanging over us, and I am sure that will be a positive factor as Alan Curbishley and the players prepare for a vital match against Wigan.”
The ruling to free Tevez to play will no doubt anger Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, who had called for a points deduction and whose club could be dragged right into the relegation mix.
But the panel decided a points deduction would not be a “proportionate punishment” on seven grounds, including West Ham’s guilty plea, the fact the club is under new ownership and that they are fighting relegation.
The contractual ruling was handed down by the same independent tribunal which yesterday fined the club for breaking two Premier League rules relating to the signings of Tevez and Mascherano, who has since moved to Liverpool, last August.
West Ham escaped a points deduction that would have virtually confirmed their relegation, but the club were deemed to have been “responsible for dishonesty and deceit”.
The panel concluded: “We are of the view that these are exceedingly serious allegations because they amount to not only an obvious and deliberate breach of the rules but a grave breach of trust as to the FAPL (Premier League) and it’s constituent members because in our finding the club has been responsible for dishonesty and deceit.
“These breaches....could have merited a points deduction and thus the financial penalty must reflect that.”
West Ham were fined £2.5m for signing contracts which allowed a third party influence over the club, and £3m for failing to inform the Premier League about it.
West Ham officials are considering whether to appeal the fine and also gave strong indications they could take legal action against the previous regime for landing the club in trouble.
A statement read: “The club will... take advice before commenting on the possibility of
Former West Ham chief executive Paul Aldridge was found to have lied directly to Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore over the existence of documentation that should have been submitted.
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