The Samara-based Krylia Sovetov football club has obtained a licence to remain in the Russian Premier League.
Krylia Sovetov will retain its place in the Russian Premier League. Yesterday the Samara football club obtained a licence for participation in the 2010 season, although it has not yet paid back its debts to the league as previously agreed. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin played a decisive role in resolving the dispute when he ordered new sponsors to be found for the team. New sponsor contracts have not yet been signed, but prospective sponsors have already promised to present the Samara club with new training grounds and help with its management.
Yesterday evening the Russian Football Union's licencing committee allowed Krylia Sovetov to take part in the 2010 season. Its management's former attempts to obtain permission (see Kommersant's issue dated February 18) were fruitless: the union demanded a clear plan to cover the club's debts, which, according to various assessments, reach $80 million.
"The club filed with the committee under guarantees of financial support from largest companies that operate in the Samara Region," the Russian Football Union reported yesterday. However, it did not say which guarantees were the most convincing. In addition, Krylia Sovetov pledged to present the union with a plan to restructure debts and implement court decisions before March 10, 2010.
In September 2010, a court started collecting debts from the club to Anro (10 million roubles in debt plus interest) and Kvarto ($3.15 million). The club's accounts and property were distrained. Krylia Sovetov would never have passed licencing if not for the personal intervention of the prime minister. On Wednesday Vladimir Putin instructed Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin to find new sponsors and provide Krylia Sovetov with funds necessary for their inclusion in the Premier League games ($20 – $30 million).
Yesterday the list of companies that will finance the Samara club became known. According to officials, they will include Rosneft, Transneft, Mezhregiongaz (a Gazprom affiliate), SIBUR, NOVATEK, and others, 22 in total.
Yesterday Kommersant received a copy of the letter signed by Igor Zavyalov, president of the Samara football club and deputy director general of the Russian Technologies state corporation. "Following the meeting in the Government House dated February 17, 2010, please enclose a letter of guarantee to ensure the financial support of Krylia Sovetov," Zavyalov wrote. Each company was given less than 24 hours to make a decision and had to send confirmation of financial backing before 13.00 on February 19. However, not all "listed sponsors" confirmed their plans to finance the football club, and a number of companies (Russian Railways, the VTB bank, and Gazprom's affiliates) already sponsor or own Premier League clubs.
The SOK group, RusHydro, Togliattiazot, NOVATEK, VTB, and Motostroitel confirmed their participation in the project. However, they did not specify the dates, terms, or sums of future sponsor agreements. "We have not decided yet on the amount of money to be invested [in the football club]," said head of NOVATEK's press service Mikhail Lozovoi.
RusHydro's press service explained that the board of directors would meet and decide on the amount of investments. Krylia Sovetov will not get any money prior to these corporate procedures.
The SOK group, which had already sponsored the football club in 2004, confirmed its wish to help in managing the club, but wrote that "it is still early to discuss any details."
"We will hardly give any money. But we can give the club Samara's stadium, Voskhod (Sunrise), (which is worth about 80 million roubles, according to Kommersant's assessments)," said Anastasiya Denisova, a representative of the United Engine Manufacturing Corporation, which manages Motorostroitel.
Yelena Kolycheva