Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino has confirmed he will not be returning to the club as president when his Football League sanction ends in April.
Cellino, who was disqualified from being the relevant person in charge of Leeds in January due to breaching Football League rules, had been due to return to Elland Road in April, when the ban expires.
But Cellino has now announced that he will appeal against the legality of his ban, with the aim being to then return to the club in the future. He feels that he wants to challenge all claims against him as a private individual.
The Italian also confirmed that, while he decided on his course of action in January, he felt it necessary to wait until he felt confident Leeds would survive in the Championship this season, which he believes is now the case; the Whites have moved ten points clear of the drop zone in England's second tier following a good run of form.
Massimo Cellino Statement In Full
I have considered in the best interests of the club to postpone any release of my true thoughts and conclusion in relation to the 79 days disqualification verdict of the Football League and it was for not unsettling the harmony of the team in a period of key league tournament matches that I have measured to reveal my decision only today, because the qualification for the 2016 Championship is by now achieved.
For the reason above said, at first I suggested that my intention was to resume in April the office of President of Leeds United Football Club after expiration of the disqualification term.
I will not do so and I had actually decided not to do so in January already, soon after the confirmation by the Football League of its verdict.
I wish to point out that I have immediately complied with all the requests of the Football League and, for such purposes, I instructed my consultants to arrange for all required actions in order to ensure my prompt exit from any management responsibility in the club. After a due process, I have also sold – with a clear harm to my interests – a minority stake in the club, so that in no way I could be prevented from freely acting as an independent citizen and individual before any authority.
My decision has developed because I have realised that about one year ago I had been admitted as President of the club when the latter was very close to insolvency. Only after my restructuring activities and the material funding by the new corporate member I found myself expelled from the club on the basis of interpretation and immediate application of an Italian measure that, although in Italy is ineffective and subject to reasonable cancellation, the Football League has elected to enforce under its own rules.
Moreover, while I am already ousted, the Football League is now pursuing a new claim against me based on circumstances that do not belong to me and have already been clarified and heavily stigmatized by my lawyers.
All of the above leads me to reconfirm the decision already reached in January so that I may be free of defending myself as any normal citizen, and I will not hesitate to do so before any authority because of my honesty, my commitment and due care to the club for which I have already invested one year of hard work. This is what I am called for also honouring a team that I have loved and for all the support and attachment I have received from fans, players, employees, contractors and professionals who have been close to me and I wish to thank once again.
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