Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

Briatore Reacts to Ban Overturn

As reported earlier, Flavio Briatore today learned that his appeal against his lifetime ban from Formula One has been successful. The decision by a French court means Briatore could now return to the sport should he wish and pending an appeal by the governing body, the FIA. It also means that he will very likely remain as chairman of QPR and maintain his majority stake in the club and he is unlikely to be sanctioned in any way by the Football League. They could have banned him from being a director of and holding shares in QPR under their ‘Fit and Proper Persons’ test had his appeal been unsuccessful.

He spoke of his relief today and said he would not rule out a return to Formula One.

“"My attention is on my family then we'll see. It will take a bit of time because the pain I felt in recent months was very deep,” he said.

Briatore received the ban last September after the FIA ruled he was involved in a plot to stage a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. It seems the role of former FIA president, Max Mosley, in banning Briatore was crucial in the court judging that the sanction was “illegal”. In a written statement, the court declared that Mosley and Briatore were well-known to be in conflict with each other.

“Mr Mosley played a key role in launching the inquiry and the legal process, violating the principle of a separation of the bodies that are responsible for the investigation and the judgment”.

It was also judged that Briatore did not have adequate opportunity to defend himself. The court noted that Briatore was only informed of the FIA hearing by email three days before it happened, he was not told why he had been charged and he was not sent any documents relating to the hearing in advance.

Briatore had requested €1.5m in compensation but was only awarded €15,000 which must now be paid by the FIA within 15 days. He didn’t attend the hearing but his lawyer, Philippe Ouakrat, expressed his happiness at the verdict.

“Mr Briatore wanted to be free to do what he wants and he did not want imposed on him an outrageous sanction taken in his absence and without being able to defend himself.”

The FIA’s lawyer, Jean-Francois Prat, indicated that they would “very likely” appeal the decision.

Paul Hart Can Spend, Spend, Spend

That news means current QPR manager Paul Hart can expect continued involvement from his Italian boss in the running of the club and buying of players. Briatore has been notorious for taking a hands-on role in the procurement of players and even in team selection. Though previous boss Jim Magilton seemed to escape interference in the teams he picked that may well have been down to Briatore having greater concerns recently, as mentioned above. Freed of his Formula One woes, he could now turn his attention back to his misfiring football team.

The positive consequence for Hart is that he can still count on financial backing from Briatore and his partners. Even before today’s decision, Hart indicated, after the weekend’s draw at Sheffield United, that he will be looking to spend during the January transfer window.

“'We're hoping to do some business,' he told QPR.co.uk (http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/TheGaffer/0,,10373~1921855,00.html).

'I've only been here a short time, three weeks or so, but hopefully we can bring in a couple of players to add to the squad.'