Downing Street Says » British Footballers

» Wednesday, November 14, 2007

British Footballers

Asked about the piece in the Guardian today on British jobs for British workers in the Premier League, and asked if there was anything that the Government could do, the PMS replied that this was clearly a matter for the football authorities. There were discussions that took place between the Government and the football authorities on a number of issues, but primarily this was something for them. The Prime Minister did think that football was a powerful force for social integration. The Prime Minister has supported the Kickz project, which was a good example of how football could be a force for social integration. But the Premier League and UEFA rules were a matter for the authorities.

Put that presumably non-EU players would have to be licensed in some way to play for the clubs, the PMS replied that they would be subject to the relevant immigration laws.

Asked if the Prime Minister thought that it was a good idea that there was a large number of foreigners in British football both from inside the EU and outside, the PMS replied that he had never heard the Prime Minister express a view on that subject.

Asked why Downing Street was worried about foreign players in the Premier League, and what did this have to do with Government, the PMS replied that these were issues that are raised by the football authorities when they have occasional meetings with representatives of the Government. But the Prime Minister’s view was that football is a powerful force for social integration and did play a wider social role. Therefore he is keen to support projects like the Kickz project which gets young people off the streets and involved in team sports in some of our deprived communities.

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