Raheem Sterling’s former agent Aidy Ward is BANNED from operating by the FA for 20 months after breaking rules on under-age players – after allegedly approaching a player under 16 to join his agency
- Agent Aidy Ward and has company have been banned by the FA for 20 months
- The governing body found them guilty of approaching an under-age player
- Ward denies any wrongdoing and he has already appealed against the ban
Leading agent Aidy Ward and his company Colossal Sports Management have been banned for 20 months by the Football Association for approaching an under-age player.
Ward, who has represented several high-profile Premier League players, was charged by the FA in March 2022 after being accused of trying to recruit a youth player on behalf of Colossal Sports Management.
FA rules bar agents from speaking to players before January 1 in the year of their 16th birthday.
Several allegations were aired in a BBC Panorama documentary, Football’s Broken Dreams, in September 2021.
Ward has consistently denied any wrongdoing and both he and Colossal Sports Management have lodged an appeal against the FA ban.
Leading agent Aidy Ward and his company Colossal Sports Management have been banned for 20 months by the Football Association for approaching an under-age player
Ward is Raheem Sterling’s former agent and helped force through his controversial move from Liverpool to Manchester City back in 2015
Ward is Raheem Sterling’s former agent and helped to force through his controversial move from Liverpool to Manchester City back in 2015 when he signed for £44m.
He infamously clashed with then-Reds boss Brendan Rodgers who slammed Sterling’s advisors including Ward after Sterling had given an unsanctioned interview to the BBC discussing his future.
Rodgers had said at the time: ‘You are not a 20-year-old boy and you pick up the phone and ask to speak to the BBC. You don’t do it. Him in particular. But, of course, if he is asked to do that by other parties then that is what he’ll do.’
Ward then gave an interview to the Evening Standard and hit back as he said: ‘I don’t care about the PR of the club and the club situation… He is definitely not signing (a new deal). He’s not signing for £700,000, £800,000 or £900,000 and a week.’
An FA statement read: ‘Adrian Ward and Colossal Sports Management Ltd have both been suspended from all intermediary activity up to and including 03 December 2024, and also warned about their future conduct…
‘It was alleged that Adrian Ward had directly or indirectly made an approach to a minor on behalf of Colossal Sports Management Ltd at various points between 01 January 2019 and 31 December 2019.
‘Adrian Ward was charged with misconduct in relation to FA Rule E1(b), and Colossal Sports Management Ltd was charged with misconduct in relation to various breaches of FA Rule E1(b) and Regulation B8 and B8(i), but they were all denied.
‘An independent Regulatory Commission found all of the charges to be proven and imposed these sanctions, and its written reasons for these decisions will be published in due course. Adrian Ward and Colossal Sports Management Ltd have both subsequently lodged an appeal.
‘The FA takes the protection of minors seriously and will continue to enforce its regulations in respect of any such misconduct by participants.’
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