Uefa concern at ref appointments

World Cup referee Graham Poll is among England's top officials

Uefa claims English football's system for appointing referees leaves it open to an Italian-style corruption scandal.

Referee appointments in England are overseen by the organisation Professional Game Match Officials.

The Premier League, Football League and Football Association are shareholders in PGMO, but Uefa says appointments should be made independently.

But the Premier League has insisted that it does not have undue influence over the appoinntments of officials.

Uefa spokesman William Gaillard told The Guardian newspaper: "Refs should be appointed independently of clubs and leagues."

Gaillard warned that assurances from English football may not be enough to prevent Uefa action.

He said: "PGMO is a breach of Uefa and Fifa statutes. In England the response is to say we are more honest than in Italy, but we do not think this is good enough.

"There should be a systematic answer, people have to answer how and why a repeat of the Italian scandal is impossible under their system.

"We have had no such response from anywhere."

But the Premier League says PGMO general manager, former referee Keith Hackett, is the man in sole charge of appointing officials.

A Premier League spokesman said: "We have set up an entirely independent structure for refereeing.

"The Football League, Premier League and FA representatives on the PGMO all have an equal say in how it is run and an equal vote."

Italian clubs Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina were all found guilty of exerting an influence on refereeing appointments.