Latest Posts

Stuart McInnes MBE Joins Quastels As Senior Counsel

Quastels LLP is pleased to announce the arrival of Stuart McInnes MBE, who has joined the firm as Senior Counsel, further strengthening the firm’s dispute resolution and sports law capabilities.

Stuart McInnes MBE is a solicitor, previously with Squire Patton Boggs, with over 40 years’ experience in complex disputes and sports law and is an internationally recognised sports arbitrator. He is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in global sports arbitration and governance.

Internationally Recognised Expertise

Stuart has served as an arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for around two decades, including appointment to the CAS ad hoc division for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and he has also sat on major-event tribunals. His practice is shaped by substantial cross-border dispute experience, particularly in football and wider sports regulation. In addition, he is Chairman of the Ordinary Arbitration Division of the Qatar Sports Arbitration Tribunal, and sits as an arbitrator at the Saudi Sports Arbitration Center, where he oversees (predominantly football-related) proceedings.

Stuart has acted for and advised governing bodies and stakeholders internationally, including a seven-year consultancy to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation on governance and regulatory matters, dispute resolution, reputation-critical issues, and the drafting and implementation of emergency COVID-19 rules. He has also advised at ministerial level in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on sports-law issues, including the development of women’s football and broader participation in sport. Alongside his work in Saudi Arabia, Stuart has advised the Governments of the UAE and The Sultanate of Oman. Stuart undertook high value commercial arbitrations as Counsel and as an arbitrator.

Recognition and Contribution

Stuart was appointed MBE in 2006 in recognition of his charity work in the City of London, and he is active in sports governance and legal education, including as a Visiting Professor on international sports law programmes. 

Joining Quastels

In his role as Senior Counsel at Quastels, Stuart will support the firm’s dispute resolution and sports law offering, providing strategic insight and specialist expertise to clients operating in the UK and internationally. His appointment reflects Quastels’ continued focus on building depth in specialist practice areas.

Stuart’s arrival marks an exciting addition to the firm, enhancing Quastels’ ability to advise on complex, high-value disputes and regulatory matters in the sports sector and beyond.

If you’d like to discuss how Stuart and his team can assist you in sport or dispute resolution matters, whether UK-based or international, please contact him via his email, smcinnes@quastels.com, or call +44 07974 923455.

Read More

Meet Me at the APT: What the 2025 Settlement Means

In early September 2025, Manchester City and the Premier League reached a binding settlement that ends City’s challenge to the amended Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules. City has formally recognised that the November 2024 APT rules are valid and enforceable going forward, so the current framework remains in place. This follows the decision on 13 February 2025 in connection with the old rules, where an arbitration tribunal (Sir Nigel Teare, Christopher Vajda KC and Lord Dyson) held that the 2021-2024 APT rules were “void and unenforceable.” That finding potentially opens the door to retrospective claims relating to that period.

What are APT Rules and Why Were They Introduced?

APT rules were introduced in 2021 following the takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi-led consortium, amidst concerns that a sudden influx of capital could confer an unfair advantage. The rules gave the Premier League powers to ensure that any commercial transactions between a club and an “Associated Party” represented Fair Market Value (FMV), to prevent owner-linked deals being used to gain a financial advantage over competitors who did not have access to such funds. In effect, the rules stop club owners from subsidising teams through favourable transactions with linked entities (e.g. sponsorships inflated above market value). The change was introduced at a meeting of all Premier League teams in December 2021, with Newcastle United and Manchester City voted against.

How Manchester City Came Under Scrutiny

Manchester City has been the target of scrutiny under the APT rules. In November 2023, a sponsorship agreement with First Abu Dhabi Bank was deemed not at FMV and in need of adjustment. Similar investigations were also reportedly opened into transactions with Emirates Palace and the Etihad Aviation Group.

Manchester City’s First APT Arbitration Challenge

On 24 January 2024, Manchester City requested arbitration under Section X of the Premier League Rules to set aside those determinations, arguing that Rules E.55-E.79 of the APT rules were unlawful. City contended that the relevant sections of the APT rules violated Sections 2 and 18 of the Competition Act 1998, and that they amounted to an “object restriction” of competition.

The First Award (25 September 2024)

Some of the key findings from the Tribunal on 25 September 2024, included:

1. Shareholder Loans

The APT framework allowed one form of form of subsidy–shareholder loans–to pass outside APT scrutiny, while other forms (such as inflated sponsorships) were caught, even though both were viewed as equally damaging to the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability objectives.

2. Object Restriction – February 2024 FMV Amendments

The February 2024 amendments broadened the definition of transactions that could be found above FMV and shifted the burden of proof from the Premier League onto the club. This increased risk of transactions being falsely deemed above market value to the extent that the rules operated as an object restriction.

3. Public Law – Procedural Unfairness

The FMW assessment process lacked transparency: clubs were unable to see or comment on comparable-transaction data used in the test prior to determination.

The Severance Question and the Second Award (13 February 2025)

From 27 January 2025, the Tribunal considered whether the unlawful parts of the 2021-2024 APT rules could be severed so the rest could stand. Applying the blue pencil test from Tillman v Egon Zehnder which permits a tribunal to delete offending wording but not add or rewrite any language), the Tribunal found:

• Textual severance: the shareholder-loan exclusion could be crossed out without adding words; and
• Residual bargain/consideration: the remaining regime would still constitute a valid bargain.

However, the test ultimately failed on the third limb of “overall effect”. Removing the exclusion would fundamentally alter the regime by bringing shareholder loans–a central and established financing tool for clubs–from no APT scrutiny to full scrutiny (including potential FMV re-pricing), materially expanding the rules’ operation. Since the defect could not be cured by targeted deletion, the Tribunal declared the 2021-2024 APT rules void and unenforceable.

What is Affected by the “Void” Finding

The main impact of this ruling is confined to the historic period (2021-2024). The Tribunal did not strike down the current APT rules, which were adopted in November 2024 and remain unaffected by the awards.

The determination that APT rules were void between 2021 and 2024 means clubs scrutinised during this period could potentially seek damages for Associated Party Transactions that did not occur or were reduced in value due to the unlawful regime (e.g. loss of chance claims).

The amended framework remains in force. A key correction is that shareholder loans are now in scope of APT/FMV oversight, subject to transitional carve-outs for certain pre-22 November 2024 loans. It is not the case that all existing shareholder loans remain entirely outside the new rules.

Other Affected Clubs and Transactions

Manchester City was not the only team impacted by APT rules between 2021 and 2024. The awards and public reporting show multiple APTs were notified to the Premier League during that period, with Chelsea Football Club’s transfer of its women’s team to BlueCo noted as an example of intra-group asset transfers attracting review. Other clubs, such as Newcastle United, that made APTs during the relevant period may seek damages on the basis that these deals would have had a higher value but for the now-nullified APT rules–even where the Premier League did not directly require an adjustment.

Settlement Ends the APT Dispute (September 2025)

In early September 2025, Manchester City and the Premier League privately concluded their protracted dispute by reaching a settlement:

• City has formally recognised that the November 2024 APT rules are valid and enforceable going forward, effectively abandoning its legal challenge to those amendments.
• In return, the Premier League secures legal certainty for its updated framework, which subjects all future associated-party deals–including shareholder loans–to FMV oversight.
• While the voiding of the 2021-2024 rules may open the way for retrospective claims, it does not undermine the integrity of the current regime.

City has now acknowledged the enforceability of the Premier League’s current APT framework, however clubs may now focus on potential claims relating to the historic period.

What Next?

It will be interesting to see whether any historic claims do manifest, given that the position going forward now seems settled. The affected Clubs may see little value in further protracted litigation with the League.

Under the current rules, clubs should anticipate continued FMV scrutiny of owner-linked sponsorships and shareholder financing. Preparing evidence of market benchmarks and engaging early with the League on methodology (including access to comparable data) will be essential.

Read More

Quastels Advises on Partnership Between ELEMIS & Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team

Quastels are proud to have advised on the new multi-year partnership between Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team, and our long-term client, ELEMIS. Led by Corporate & Commercial Legal Director Ann-Maree Blake, the deal sees ELEMIS become the first Official Skincare Partner of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team, tapping into the growing female fan-base of the sport. 

ELEMIS Champions Inclusivity in F1

ELEMIS, through this trailblazing partnership, are working to promote inclusivity within Formula 1, as the latest study suggests that the fastest growing fanbase are women aged 16 to 24, and that the female demographic now make up 41% of the sport’s overall fanbase. Ann-Maree led contract negotiations on behalf of ELEMIS, ensuring the B Corp company’s sustainability focus was spotlighted in the deal, meeting with Aston Martin Aramco’s own sustainability goals. This partnership not only marks an incredible milestone in the world of Formula 1 but also sets a new standard for innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity within the sport.

The deal includes ELEMIS launching exclusive, limited-edition product collections, offering guests at the Aston Martin Aramco Paddock Club Suite experiential treatments, and in May, at the Monaco Grand Prix, ELEMIS will create a luxury spa experience on board the Aston Martin Aramco yacht- all within the first year of the partnership. 

Testimonial

“Working with Ann-Maree Blake at Quastels was nothing short of extraordinary. Her unparalleled expertise, strategic vision, and tireless commitment to our success transformed what could have been a complex deal into a flawless, high-impact partnership with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team. Ann-Maree went above and beyond, not just meeting but exceeding our expectations at every turn. Her insight, professionalism, and passion for excellence made her an indispensable part of this landmark deal. Simply put, she is the gold standard in legal support.”

Sean C. Harrington, ELEMIS Co-Founder & CEO.

Read More