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Thaksin to cut ties with City
THAKSIN Shinawatra could sell his remaining 10 per cent stake in Manchester City and forfeit his honorary president’s title after being sentenced to two years in prison yesterday.
Former City owner Shinawatra, who is in exile in London, was found guilty of corruption charges while prime minister of Thailand by a Bangkok court. Now the Thai authorities will ask the British Government to extradite the billionaire, who sold City to the Abu Dhabi United Group in a £210million deal last month after a 13-month spell as owner.
He retained a 10 per cent stake but the new owners, wary of the corruption charges he was facing, ensured he and his family were removed from the board last week. Instead, he was named one of 10 honorary presidents of the club – a position which has no say in club affairs.
Now he may even give up that title and sell his small stake to ADUG to avoid causing City any further embarrassment.
His wife, Pojaman, is already facing a three-year jail sentence for corruption.
City refused to comment, although Shinawatra vowed to fight against his and his wife’s convictions, insisting the case was politically motivated.
He said: “I had long anticipated it would turn out this way.”
City were given some good news when it was revealed Micah Richards did not break his ankle in the 2-2 draw at Newcastle on Monday night but, instead, strained his ligaments.
However, the injury will still rule him out of the league game against Stoke on Sunday.