Kunle Soname's Portuguese Club Faces Investigation Over Betting Company

Kunle Soname's Portuguese Club Faces Investigation Over Betting Company

By Our Reporter

Federation Discipline converts an investigation initiated in August into a disciplinary procedure. Alleged links between Adekunle Soname and sports betting company are being investigated

The Disciplinary Council (CD) of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) decided to institute disciplinary proceedings against SAD do Feirense and its president, Nigerian Adekunle Oluwaseyi Soname, the largest shareholder in the sports society, both for "non-compliance with duties", as communicated by that body.

In August, following an investigation by the Público newspaper, which pointed to the connection of the African millionaire to a sports betting company, the CD launched an investigation process, now reversed in a disciplinary process, already handed over to the Commission of Instructors (CI) of the Turns on.

According to the disciplinary body's note, it was CI that, in a report submitted on September 15, proposed converting the findings into a disciplinary process.

As Público reported in the first days of August, Nigerian millionaire Adekunle Soname, holder of 70% of Seir do Feirense, also owns an African bookmaker, something that is incompatible under Portuguese law.

In light of this news, the League said "it is unaware of the existence of any type of incompatibility associated with any social body in the administration of SAD do Feirense", asking the FPF CD to open an investigation process "to ascertain whether there is any relevant matter from a disciplinary point of view ".

However, Seir do Feirense indicated that it complies with the rules of professional competitions and clarified the alleged involvement of Kunle Soname in Bet9ja, pointing out that the Nigerian is not a shareholder, nor beneficial owner of Tavistock, the company that holds 70% of Feirense SAD, and claiming that he never held an executive position.

"It is true that Mr. Kunle Soname has interests in the Bet9ja online bookmaker and that since 2015 he has been chairman of the Board of Directors of Feirense SAD, but he was never a de facto administrator and he never exercised the management of Feirense SAD, nor was he ever designated as executive director of Feirense SAD, as his presence in Portugal is sporadic ", reacted the club of Santa Maria da Feira, in a statement.

Kunle Soname, 54, bought the majority of the share capital of SAD do Feirense in 2015 and became responsible for the club's professional football.

The Nigerian was the first African to acquire the majority of the capital of a European club.