League delays Briatore ruling until F1 appeal

The Football League said Tuesday it will not make a decision on Flavio Briatore's fitness to co-own Queens Park Rangers until the result of his appeal against a ban from Formula One is known. The former Renault team principal was banned by the World Motor Sport Council last month for arranging for driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to help his teammate Fernando Alonso win the race. The Football League is investigating whether that decision impacts on his involvement in football. "The Football League has noted the decision by Queens Park Rangers director Flavio Briatore to commence legal proceedings against the FIA in the French courts," the League statement said. "The Football League will now await the court decision before taking any further action." Briatore said Sunday the ban "is a legal absurdity" and that he is confident French courts will overturn it.