Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

To still be in the FA Cup beyond the third-round weekend was a big step for QPR and more on their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United will follow. In the meantime, some news of even greater significance could emerge in just over an hour when a Paris high court announces whether Flavio Briatore has been successful in appealing his lifetime ban from Formula One. Briatore filed an appeal with the Tribunal de Grande Instance last November after the FIA refused to sanction any motorsports events which Briatore attended following his involvement in a race-fixing scandal. The Tribunal is scheduled to announce its decision at 13.30.

For QPR supporters the decision could impact greatly on the ownership of their club. The Football League refused to judge Briatore under their 'Fit and Proper Persons Test', which determines whether individuals can sit as directors of a club or own more than 30% of its shares, until it heard the outcome of his appeal. Briatore falls under the remit of the test on both accounts; he is chairman of the club and is reported to own a 53% stake.

Under the test, anyone who has been "banned by a Sports Governing Body from involvement in the administration of that sport" can fail it and be required to relinquish their position as a director and their shares in its holding company. Should that occur, Briatore would have a limited right of appeal (only to contest a 'factual inaccuracy' in the judgement) and QPR would face strict punishments, including possible suspension from the League, should they ignore the judgement.

Who would take on his majority stake is also far from clear? Briatore himself helped to secure a 20% investment in the club from the Lakshmi Mittal family and his son-in-law Amit Bhatia was also made a director of the club. Would their interest in QPR extend to investing in a much larger stake?

Those questions can only be answered once the Football League has made a decision though. After the result of the appeal today, they could feasibly still order their own investigation into the matter so QPR supporters could still wait some time before learning who will now own their club. More to follow once the result of the appeal is announced.