Former Leeds owner Massimo Cellino’s ban from football reduced from 18 to 12 months
Italian was hit with punishment for breaking the Football Association’s agent regulations
FORMER Leeds owner Massimo Cellino’s football ban has been reduced from 18 to 12 months.
An FA statement said: "Former Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino has been suspended from all football activity for a period of 12 months and has been fined £100,000 by an FA Rule K Tribunal sitting as an Appeal Board.
"These sanctions arise from breaches of The FA’s Football Agent Regulations relating to the transfer of Ross McCormack from Leeds to Fulham on 8 July 2014.
"Cellino’s case was first heard before a Regulatory Commission in December 2016, which found him guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, banned him for 18 months and fined him £250,000.
"Cellino appealed against that decision and his case was heard by an FA Appeal Board in January 2017, which upheld the decision of the Regulatory Commission on liability but reduced the ban to 12 months and the fine to £100,000."
Cellino no longer has a stake in Leeds but completed a takeover of Serie B Brescia in his homeland in August.
The agricultural entrepreneur arrived at Elland Road after spending 22 years as owner of Cagliari.
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But his tenure in Yorkshire was marred by a series of off-field incidents.
His trigger-happy reputation was justified as he sacked six head coaches before appointing Garry Monk, who has since moved to Middlesbrough.