Portsmouth FC taking legal steps over sanctions

Portsmouth have sent a legal letter to the English Premier League over their transfer embargo and withholding of television rights revenues, the beleaguered club’s chief executive Peter Storrie said.

Pompey’s seven million pound (11.4 million dollar, 7.9 million euro) share of the latest payment of television income is being diverted by the EPL to clubs they owe money to over unpaid transfer deals.

The division’s bottom team are unable to sign new players during the January transfer window because of an embargo placed upon them by the league.

The club are on the verge of trying to force the Premier League to relax the restrictions so they can bring in loan players to Fratton Park.

“I can confirm we have issued a legal letter to the Premier League to demand that the transfer embargo should be lifted,” Storrie was quoted as saying by the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

“We believe we’ve a very good case against them. They have absolutely no right to withhold television money in advance of future payments or payments to foreign clubs.”

The Premier League board held talks with cash-strapped Portsmouth, who on several occasions this season have failed to play their players on time.

And the 2008 FA Cup winners have been unable to convince the league they have the money to cover a reported 10 million pounds of debts to other clubs, hence the decision to divert their share of the television cash to other teams.

Portsmouth’s scheduled Premier League match with visitors Birmingham was postponed Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch.