The Newcastle United takeover saga is approaching 100 days now, and potential owners – Amanda Staveley, the Reuben brothers and the Saudi Public Investment Fund – are still waiting for approval from the Premier League.
As we all know, two issues are sticking up as stumbling block for the takeover to go through – the issue of piracy and the problem relating to human rights.
While Matt Slater of The Athletic has recently claimed that the human rights problems are not a bigger issue for the Premier League, but the one with the piracy is a massive barrier for the takeover to get the green signal.
However, it seems, the families of human rights campaigners are not giving up as yet.
According to reports from The Independent, families of human rights campaigners held in Saudi jails have urged the Premier League chief executive Richard Masters by writing a letter with a personal plea that the takeover should not be allowed to go ahead while their loved ones remain imprisoned.
The Premier League have nearly spent the past four months dissecting the controversial £300m takeover, which is led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The letter has details of the treatment of the victims, citing torture and threats of rape, saying it is “vital” the Premier League hear their stories before making a decision.
However, many Newcastle fans feel that it has got nothing to do with the takeover, as instead of fighting against the government they are directing their anger in the wrong direction. Here are some of the selected tweets:
So families of prisoners are trying to block the NUFC takeover instead of directly fighting the Saudi Gov to release their love ones?…that sounds…ABSURD as usual.
— Dell 💦 (@agbnufc) July 12, 2020
There have there laws and rules nothing to do with takeover and the government has already said it will not allow it stop the takeover
— xOneManArmy78x (@Stevenparker78) July 12, 2020
Hope there wrote to Uk Government as well to complain about the arms deals that’s just been giving the go ahead again
— mark 88 (@markste76948257) July 12, 2020
it’s awful that there are people being held captive because they campaigned for human rights, but i fail to see how blocking a takeover of a PL team is going to set them free.
— Jake (@MaximumAllan) July 12, 2020
Would they not be better off writing to the relevant authorities to get their family members released?? 😂 This is absolutely mental 😂😂😂
— Richie_G (@RichardGibson05) July 12, 2020
Sounds like bein sports is trying everything to stop the Saudi pif taking over Newcastle
— steve johnson (@johnnerstev) July 12, 2020
This stinks to high heaven, if you have a family member imprisoned why on earth would your thoughts be on stopping the takeover and what would you be achieving,
— Darren moat (@moat1968) July 12, 2020
