Legislation

The EFL confirmed Belokons had failed the league’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test.

The ban means Belokons cannot hold any high profile role at an English league club, despite still holding the title of Club President at Blackpool.

The test is designed to “protect the image and integrity of The League and its competitions”.

The EFL confirmed that the decision to ban Belokons had been made. However, a spokesman said it was not the league’s policy to comment on the reasons behind the decision.

Within hours of receiving details of the decision, Blackpool FC suspended Belokons’ ‘representative and employee’ Kaspars Varpins from the board with immediate effect.

A spokesman for the club said: “Throughout the tenure of Kaspars Varpins on the BFC Board, he has been unable to make decisions or act without Valerijs Belokons’ prior consent.” The proposed re-appointment of Normunds Malnacs as a new member of the board will also be blocked.

Last month, the 57-year-old Belokons resigned as a director saying it is in the best interests of the club for him to step aside considering his legal disputes with the Oyston family.

Blackpool FC owner Karl Oyston said he had acted “with immediate effect” to remove any of Belokons’ remaining influence from the club. He said: “Once the league had announced its decision, we had no choice but to act to remove anyone who we felt was influenced by him. “We believe that Kaspars is under the control of Valerijs and he has been suspended. Once Valerijs failed the Owners’ and Directors’ test, we had to remove anyone from the board who we believed was still in his sphere of influence. The EFL asked for information during its investigation, which was instigated by the League. The EFL made its own decision based on that information, matters uncovered during the investigation and any items Valerijs may have provided at the request of the EFL.”

Belokons took out a 20 percent stake in Blackpool FC in 2006, his investment contributing to the development of the Armfield Stand and the club’s rise to the Premier League in 2010. His relationship with the club’s owners, the Oystons, has soured in recent years, culminating in two high-profile court cases during 2017. Belokons won the first in February, concerning money from the Blackpool FC hotel. A ruling in the second case, in which Belokons claimed “unfair prejudice” against him, is expected later in the year. Blackpool FC suspended Belokons from the board in March following disputed allegations of money laundering, the British news portal reports.