Bawtry Wolf
Just doesn't shut up
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2006
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To be fair the Premier League and FA are able to provide Governing Body Exemptions (GBE) and as the Governing body they recommend whether a player gets a permit or not based on the points system. The Home Office issue the work permit but on the Governing Body’s advice, it would be rare for them to go against it.Wow. Some serious condescension there. OK, I'll bite.
For some industries, the Home Office passes responsibility for work permits/visas to accredited bodies. For example, the Institute of Mechanical Engineers deal with applications for mechanical engineers, the IET would deal with Electrical Technicians, RICS would deal with Building Surveyors.
In Football's case, responsibility for reviewing applications, issuing permits/visas, hearing appeals etc. rests with the FA, as they are authorised to do this on behalf of the Home Office. Although the Home Office sets the over-arching policy, the FA developed the rules, criteria and the processes.
I would be 99% certain that nobody from the Home Office or the UK Government has even seen Costa's application, never mind had anything to do with the decision-making and appeals process. It's handled by the FA panel.
So to answer your original question. I seem to have a better idea as to how Government REALLY works than you do.
In Costa’s case We have to go to Exemption panel and we may have/had to for Traore. In the PL Manual it states:
‘If the Player is a Free Agent, the Player’s Current Club is the club the Player played in the half of the season immediately before the date the application is made. If the Player is a Free Agent and was not registered for any club in the half of the season immediately before the date the application is made, he shall not be granted any points for the criteria which adopt this definition.’
The Brazilian season runs from April to November so by my reckoning Costa gets no points so the exemption will be based on exceptional player.