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Radrizzani makes stunning revelation about Myanmar trip in letter to Leeds fans
Andrea Radrizzani released an open letter regarding the Leeds pre-season trip to Myanmar on Wednesday, after severe criticism from fans, media, politicians and Amnesty International.
The defiant letter, that says the trip was carefully planned, reveals that Leeds have no plans to backtrack on their decision to embark on the tour, despite the negative press.
And, in one section, he makes a stunning revelation, that the club are not receiving any fee to play.
Instead, Radrizzani says that he sees it as a way to support local football and “a way to introduce the name of Leeds United in the fastest growing country in southeast Asia.”
The letter was serialised on the Twitter account of Phil Hay, senior journalist on the Yorkshire Evening Post on Wednesday afternoon.
An open letter from Andrea Radrizzani about the tour to Burma. Confirming that the club intend to go as planned. "This was a carefully considered decision and we knew it would be controversial but this is about people not governments." #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) April 25, 2018
Radrizzani: "The club is not receiving any fee to play. Rather I see this both as a personal initiative to support local football and a way to introduce the name of Leeds United in the fastest growing country in southeast Asia." #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) April 25, 2018
Football Insider verdict:
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There are two things that are stunning about the letter – one, that Radrizzani sees absolutely no reason to reconsider. Generally, when you’ve upset fans, politicians and respected journalists, there’s something wrong. However, Radrizzani is carrying on down the tried-before route that sport has nothing to do with politics. This is naive at best and at worst just a cloak to hide any business interests. However, he then goes on to say that Leeds are not receiving any fee to play. So Radrizzani is potentially putting players and fans at risk by taking them to a country where there is foreign office advice warning against travel in certain parts, as a freebie? He mentions the fact of getting the Leeds brand across to a fast-developing country, but that is a wholly spurious reason for embarking on a tour before the start of next season. It seems the more Radrizzani talks, the more trouble he gets himself in.
In other Leeds news, ‘Perfect start to next season’, ‘What a player’ – Leeds fans meltdown as major update says deal all but done
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