The Premier League today announced a series of key measures to ensure the highest standards of governance are maintained and improved by its member clubs.

These include the introduction of a Fit and Proper Person Test, enhanced Directors’ Reports and a Directors’ declaration of shareholding.

The standards required of a Premier League director now go above and beyond UK Company Law with Premier League directors coming under rigorous scrutiny. Under the Fit and Proper Person Test anyone convicted of a range of offences, including fraud, theft and being subject to football banning order, will not be able to be a director of a club.

If any director suffers a personal insolvency, leads a club into insolvency twice or two separate clubs into insolvency they too will be prevented from being a director of a Premier League club.

The introduction of a Fit and Proper Person Test, in addition to the 9 point deduction for any member club that enters insolvency, demonstrates the clubs’ ongoing commitment to sound corporate governance and sustainable financial decision making.

Annual Directors’ Reports will see clubs set out, to the appropriate football authorities, a statement of their transactions, including payments to agents or 3rd parties, as and when required. As well as reporting each individual transaction clubs will be required, at the end of each accounting period, to submit a full financial report, along with an independent auditor’s report.

In addition, for the first time, directors of member clubs will give a declaration of shareholdings to the Premier League to ensure that our dual ownership rules are being properly adhered to.

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, said: ‘This range of measures enshrines many of the good business practices our clubs already engage in.

‘By voting in a Fit and Proper Person Test, along with the other rule changes, the clubs have made a very public statement that the professional game is, and expects to be, run to a high standard of corporate governance. It is for the good of the game that these rules are now in place for all to see.’

For more information please contact The FA Premier League Press Office on 020 7298 1690 or 07799 895439 or go to www.premierleague.com