'Colegate' agent Zahavi faces further probe

FIFA are set to re-open their file on ‘super agent’ Pini Zahavi to see if he broke any rules in the Ashley Cole tapping-up affair.

Football’s world governing body suspended their investigations in August last year while waiting for the outcome of the Football Association’s disciplinary action against Cole’s agent Jonathan Barnett.

Now Barnett has been dealt with – he was fined £100,000 yesterday and had his licence suspended for 18 months, nine of which are suspended – FIFA will once again look at Zahavi’s involvement.

The Israeli agent, who handles many of Chelsea’s signings, was present at the infamous meeting in London’s Royal Park Hotel back in January last year, along with Cole, Barnett, Blues boss Jose Mourinho and club chief executive Peter Kenyon.

The FA have no jurisdiction over Zahavi but sent a file to FIFA last year and are writing to them now to inform them of the Barnett decision.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said: “Pini Zahavi was the subject of a case file that was opened last August and suspended until a final and binding decision had been taken in the case of the agent Jonathan Barnett.

“We are now waiting for the full documentation on the matter and will take it from there.

“Our legal people will then look into it and see whether the suspended case can be re-opened.”

Barnett is appealing against the sanctions imposed by an independently-chaired FA disciplinary commission, and FIFA may have to wait until that hearing is completed before they can make a decision on Zahavi.

An FA spokesman said: “All the relevant information was sent to FIFA a year ago and we will, as a matter of course, inform them of any new disciplinary procedures with international elements.”

Chelsea, Cole and Mourinho were all fined by the Premier League over the affair last year.