The UK government faces a “full inquiry” into the handling of its proposed appointment of the new chairman of the independent football regulator, David Kogan.
Focus will fall on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which received an email addressed to Permanent Secretary, Susannah Storey last Thursday (May 29) from the Commissioner for Public Appointments, William Shawcross, who is likely to interview both Kogan and the secretary of state, Lisa Nandy, during his investigations.
Shawcross decided to proceed with an inquiry after initial “spot checks” raised unspecified concerns about the process.
Kogan, 67, was not on the initial three-person shortlist for the role but was recommended by Nandy after more than two decades negotiating TV rights sales on behalf of the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Women’s Super League (WSL).
Nandy named Kogan as her choice to chair the regulator in April and, on May 9, he was revealed as the preferred candidate, with a report from the DCMS “recognising his vast experience in the football and media sectors”.
Shawcross, 79, was appointed to his role in 2021 following a long career in broadcasting and writing, which included a biography of media magnate Rupert Murdoch. It is his responsibility to provide…
