STRETFORD LOSES APPEAL

Wayne Rooney's agent Paul Stretford yesterday failed in his latest attempt to stop the Football Association bringing disciplinary charges against him.

The Court of Appeal ruled that an FA disciplinary commission has the jurisdiction to deal with a series of charges brought against Stretford in June 2005 alleging he had breached rules regarding the circumstances in which he became Rooney's agent. There were nine charges initially, reduced to seven last year when two were suspended for legal reasons.

Stretford has been campaigning since 2005 to have the charges dealt with in a public court rather than by a FA disciplinary commission, arguing that private FA proceedings constitute a breach of his human rights.

In March last year, the High Court ruled that as a licensed players' agent, Stretford was bound by the FA's rules and regulations, and in particular was bound by the FA's arbitration procedure. The High Court also rejected Stretford's claim that the FA's arbitration procedure conflicted with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to a fair trial) or the principles of natural justice.

The Court of Appeal yesterday also found in the FA's favour, backing the FA's right to enforce its own rules (and Fifa's rules within England). Stretford's only recourse now is either to appeal to the House of Lords or submit to the FA's disciplinary process. His licence could be withdrawn if he is found guilty of the charges.

The FA said in a statement: "The FA has today received confirmation from the Court of Appeal that the appeal issued by players' agent Paul Stretford was dismissed. The FA was also awarded costs. "This decision follows a previous ruling of the High Court rejecting Paul Stretford's claims against the FA. The FA has always maintained that it has acted properly in accordance with its rules."

The charges against Stretford related to a number of alleged breaches of the Fifa Players' Agent Regulations and the FA's rules, relating to the circumstances surrounding his acquisition of the right to represent Rooney. Stretford was representing Rooney in September 2002, but this allegedly overlapped an agreement the player had with his former agent, Peter McIntosh.