Agent Stretford punished
09 Jul 2008 - 16:46:50
Football agent Paul Stretford, best known for having Manchester United's Wayne Rooney as one of his clients, has been fined £300,000 and banned from football for 18 months.
The punishments are the result of an FA disciplinary hearing into charges brought against Stetford relating to his acquisition of Rooney as a client and for improper conduct.
The ruling deemed that Stretford had made "false and/or misleading witness statements to police and given false and/or misleading testimony to Warrington Crown Court."
The punishment is the result of a lengthy legal battle between Stretford and the FA, with the Proactive agent unsuccessfully arguing that the FA had no power to punish him.
The hearing ruled against Stretford in seven of nine cases of breaching the FIFA players' agent regulations. They include failing to protect Rooney's interests and failing to respect the rights of third parties.
"The commission found that Mr Stretford did encourage Mr Rooney and his parents to enter into a representation agreement with Proactive Sports Management Limited on July 17 2002," an FA statement explained.
"(Stretford) knew Mr Rooney was still then under contract with Pro-Form Sports Management Limited."
Stretford has yet to confirm whether he will appeal against the decision. If he does, the ban will not come into effect until that process is over.