Former FA Chief Palios Feels QPR Will be Docked Points

Mark Palios, the former chief of the Football Association (FA), believes that recently promoted English Championship soccer side QPR will be deducted points following the hearing into their 2009 signing of Alejandro Faurlin.

As of yesterday, May 3, a hearing commenced centering around seven charges relating to the initial deal arising from the Argentine midfielder’s ownership. If the side are deducted points they could slip out of the automatic promotion places, meaning that Norwich would go up as Champions, followed by Cardiff City in second place.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4, Palios said that if the club are found guilty they would be docked points based on set precedents.

QPR manager Neil Warnock reacted angrily to media claims that the club could be docked as many as 15 points, which would scupper their elevation to the top flight.

The charges are with regards to an alleged agreement between the club and a third party in respect of Faurlin’s economic rights, and the alleged failure by the club to notify the FA of that agreement before the player was registered to play for them in England.

The club has also been charged with allegedly using or seeking to pay an unauthorised agent as part of the Faurlin deal. In addition, both the club and chairman Gianni Paladini have been charged with allegedly submitting false information in documents provided to the FA relating to a contract extension signed by Faurlin in October.

Palios stated: “There is a lot of precedent around playing an ineligible player and that ranges from the clerical errors around the transfer window, when they get small points deductions, to more serious situations.

“I think following the [Carlos] Tevez affair it is necessary for a statement to be made. This is more serious than a clerical error, so deserves a points deduction almost certainly.

“The second charge with regard to illegal payment to agents, I think there is a precedent when Luton got 10 points deducted for doing that.

“Interestingly, the FA said they tried and didn’t say they actually did make the payments to unregistered agents.”