EPL Dismisses Portsmouth Ownership by Arkadi Gaydamak Speculation

The English Premier League has dismissed suggestions that Portsmouth are effectively controlled by Arkadi Gaydamak, father of the club's owner Alexandre.

Newspaper reports in Israel had claimed that Israel-based Arkadi Gaydamak, the subject of an arrest warrant by French authorities, was effectively in charge at Fratton Park.

But the EPL said in a statement that it had no reason to question Alexandre Gaydamak's ownership of the club.

"In response to recent press speculation regarding the ownership of Portsmouth Football Club, the Premier League can confirm that it has re-examined the current position, found there to be no variance with information already on record and therefore is able to re-confirm that Alexandre Gaydamak is the ultimate beneficial owner of Portsmouth Football Club," the EPL said in a statement.

The question of Gaydamak senior being effectively in charge is an issue because the EPL requires that club owners and directs pass a "fit and proper persons" test.

Arkadi Gaydamak, the owner of Israeli champions Beitar Jerusalem, has been the subject of an arrest warrant by French authorities keen to question him in connection with allegedly illicit arms trading to Angola during the 1990s.

A Portsmouth spokesman had earlier dismissed suggestions that Alexandre Gaydamak was no more than a puppet of his father.

"We are a little surprised that this issue has come up again because Alexandre Gaydamak owns the club 100 percent and nothing has changed," the spokesman said.