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An article from todays Daily Mail (Charles Sale):
Flavio Briatore, the controversial co-owner of Queen’s Park Rangers, is facing fresh protests about his takeover of the London club two years after a buy-out which is still cloaked in secrecy.
The latest twist came to light after a mystery man dressed in black paraded outside the main entrance at Loftus Road before the last home match against Bristol City. He was holding up a placard that read ‘Billionaire Schmillionaire Briatore, Pay Your Debts.’.
Reports from Italy suggest that this allegedly relates to the deal struck with former owner and Italian football agent Antonio Caliendo when Renault boss Briatore, backed by his F1 ringmaster friend Bernie Ecclestone, took control in August 2007. Caliendo’s response to the speculation about the purpose of the man in black was intriguing.
He said: ‘I know something on this matter, too, as I am waiting to get an answer from my lawyers.’
In the past, he said of his sale of the club to Briatore: ‘At the right time, we will expose publicly what really happened.’
The bizarre development is the latest in a saga of extraordinary goings on at QPR over the last few years. Gianni Paladini, who was installed by Caliendo to run the club before Briatore’s buy-up, was even threatened by armed gunmen in the boardroom in August 2005.
Flavio Briatore, the controversial co-owner of Queen’s Park Rangers, is facing fresh protests about his takeover of the London club two years after a buy-out which is still cloaked in secrecy.
The latest twist came to light after a mystery man dressed in black paraded outside the main entrance at Loftus Road before the last home match against Bristol City. He was holding up a placard that read ‘Billionaire Schmillionaire Briatore, Pay Your Debts.’.
Reports from Italy suggest that this allegedly relates to the deal struck with former owner and Italian football agent Antonio Caliendo when Renault boss Briatore, backed by his F1 ringmaster friend Bernie Ecclestone, took control in August 2007. Caliendo’s response to the speculation about the purpose of the man in black was intriguing.
He said: ‘I know something on this matter, too, as I am waiting to get an answer from my lawyers.’
In the past, he said of his sale of the club to Briatore: ‘At the right time, we will expose publicly what really happened.’
The bizarre development is the latest in a saga of extraordinary goings on at QPR over the last few years. Gianni Paladini, who was installed by Caliendo to run the club before Briatore’s buy-up, was even threatened by armed gunmen in the boardroom in August 2005.
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