Anton Zingarevich (Russian: Антон Зингаревич) is a Russian businessman best known for being the former owner of Reading Football Club, who play in League One of the English football league.[1][2] Zingarevich's bid to take over the club was announced in January 2012, and he formally purchased the club on 29 May 2012. Since then, Zingarevich has had minimum interest in the running of the club, however did make the decision to sack manager Brian McDermott,[3][4][5] and the subsequent employment of Nigel Adkins. On 2 June 2014, Reading announced that Anton Zingarevich had left the board of the club.

Early life and education

Zingarevich is the son of Boris Zingarevich, a Russian multi-billionaire. Zingarevich attended Thornlow Senior School in Weymouth, Dorset, from the age of 14. At the age of 16, Zingarevich began education at Bearwood College, near Wokingham, England, studying there for two years. Whilst studying at Bearwood, Zingarevich would watch Reading F.C. play at Elm Park[6] and in his free time he would play Football Manager.

Football

Everton

In 2004, Zingarevich was linked with a £20m takeover of Everton.[7] A later investigation from Al Jazeera released in 2021 [8] showed that Christopher Samuelson, and English intermediary, was creating a scheme in order to bypass the FA regulations and to hide the identity of the Zingarevich's family in the purchase of Everton. The deal was never finished as someone leaked it to media with Boris Zingarevich issuing a statement saying neither he nor Anton would be purchasing a football club;[9] however, Christopher Samuelson created the same scheme to acquire Reading for the Zingarevich's, this time successfully.

Reading

In January 2012, it was announced that Sir John Madejski, the chairman of Championship football club Reading F.C., was in talks with Thames Sport Investment, a company founded by Zingarevich, over a takeover of the club.[10] The deal was completed on 29 May 2012. The takeover had a significant effect on the club's fortunes, persuading star player Jimmy Kébé to sign a new contract and Blackburn Rovers forward Jason Roberts to join the club. Reading were promoted as Champions at the end of the season, prompting Zingarevich to promise to expand the Madejski Stadium and invest in the club's academy. Following Reading's promotion, Zingarevich became heavily involved in helping manager Brian McDermott to sign his transfer targets, personally meeting with Pavel Pogrebnyak and Gylfi Sigurðsson in attempts to convince them to sign for Reading. Pogrebnyak, a Russian international, did sign for Reading, and McDermott praised Zingarevich's contribution[11] On 11 March 2013, Zingarevich sacked McDermott with Reading in 19th place.[4][5][12] Zingarevich described the sacking as "the hardest decision of my life".[13] Since then Zingarevich only made a few more appearances at the club. On 2 June 2014, Reading announced that Anton Zingarevich had left the board of the club.[14]

Botev

In 2021, Zingarevich became owner of Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv. The Russian appointed Azrudin Valentic - coach of the second tier team Fremad Amager, as coach and the Spanish Daniel Cerejido as Executive Director.[15] Daniel Cerejido suddenly left the management after only 10 months in the post for "disagreements with the management and coaching team",[16] leaving the club in 1st position after saving them from the relegation in the season before. After six months with no management the club appointed the Russian German Chistyakov in the position of CEO. Botev Plovdiv finished 3rd that season obtaining a position in the Europe Conference League, to be lately eliminated by Apoel Nicosia without scoring, provoking the dismissal of the coach Azrudin Valentic. Only one year after his appointment, with the club fighting not to go in the relegation group, Chistyakov followed the path of Cerejido and resigned from this position for disagreements with the policy implemented by Zingarevich and the board of the club.

On April 24, 2023, for the first time in history, Botev Plovdiv's line-up had no Bulgarian players in its composition.[17]

On May 4, 2023, numerous media articles reported that PFC Botev's budget was the third biggest in the Bulgarian league with the worst correlation in history in terms of budget-qualification, with the team finishing in the 10th position of the EFBET League, creating a lot of criticism about the skills of the management team of PFC Botev and, in particular about Mr. Zingarevich.[18]

On June 6, 2023, Zingarevich's team finished the season without scoring a single goal in the newly opened Hristo Botev stadium and with a remarkable record of 4 defeats and 1 tie.

On December 22, 2023, Russian and Bulgarian media informed that Zingarevich and PFC Botev were subject of an investigation of FIFA's disciplinary committee for the irregular transfer of minors from Africa to Europe using European clubs. According to the media Zingarevich, if found guilty, could be banned from football for a period of 15 years an economic fine and PFC Botev could suffer form a two to three-period ban of transfers.[19]

Personal life

Marriage and divorce

In 2008, Zingarevich met his future wife, a Belarusian Victoria's Secret model called Yekaterina Domankova, commonly called Katsia.[20] The couple divorced in 2014.

Prosecution

In 2016, a few years later leaving Reading, an international order of detention was issued by the Russian authorities for a case of embezzlement of 30 million pounds,[21] Zingarevich left the United Kingdom and established his residence in the United States, a territory with no extradition treaty with Russia.

Sanctions

In 2022, Anton Zingarevich and his parents were sanctioned by decree of the President of Ukraine due to "close ties to the Russian Federation regime, which has prepared and is conducting, contrary to the charter documents of the United Nations, an aggressive war against Ukraine, in which crimes against humanity are committed and the genocide of the Ukrainian people is taking place an thus, the subject is responsible for material or financial support for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Russian tycoon Anton Zingarevich completes Reading takeover". BBC. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  2. ↑ Griffin, Alistair (29 May 2012). "Russian businessman Anton Zingarevich completes takeover of newly promoted Reading – Football League – Football". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Brian McDermott leaves position as Reading manager". BBC Sport. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Reading sack Brian McDermott with Paolo Di Canio favourite to take over". Guardian. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Reading sack Brian McDermott". ESPN. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Reading | TSI press conference: the key points". Reading F.C. Archived from the original on 28 January 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "Kenwright lauds Everton's Russian saviour". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  8. ↑ Unit, David Harrison,Al Jazeera Investigative. "Investigation reveals how football can be used to launder money". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "Russians deny Everton bid". BBC News. 23 August 2004. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  10. ↑ "Secretive TSI will reveal identity on completion of Reading FC deal – Reading FC – Football – Sport – getreading – Reading Post". getreading. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  11. ↑ Anthony Smith (28 June 2012). "McDermott: Anton key in Reading FC signing Pogrebnyak". Reading Chronicle. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  12. ↑ "Brian McDermott leaves position as Reading manager". BBC Sport. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Reading owner Anton Zingarevich bares soul over Brian McDermott sacking". Sky Sports. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "On June 2nd 2014 Reading FC announced that Anton Zingarevich had left the board of the club". Reading Football Club. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "Billionaire Zingarevich has appointed an interesting name who will command the new Botev (PD)". Darik.News/en. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Трус в Ботев! Даниел Серехидо хвърли оставка - обяви и причините за решението си". Sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  17. ↑ http://plovdivnews.bg/sport/item/159305-za-parvi-pat-v-istoriyata-si-botev-izliza-bez-nito-edin-balgarin-v-sastava-si
  18. ↑ https://www.marica.bg/sport/futbol/gurme-shef-zingarevich-zagorql-mish-mash-za-18-miliona
  19. ↑ Минчев, Николай (22 December 2023). "ФИФА подготвя много сурово наказание за собственика на Ботев Пловдив". KotaSport (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Who is Mr. Zingarevich? – Football – Sports.ru". En.sports.ru. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  21. ↑ "Ex-Reading chief Zingarevich charged over alleged £30m embezzlement". BBC News. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  22. ↑ https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/7272022-44485
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