English non-league club Staines Town suspends operation amid claims of modern slavery, sanctions breaches
Downing LLP accused of modern slavery, corruption and breaching UK's Russian sanctions

Staines Town FC confirmed on Tuesday that they have suspended all soccer-related activity after several serious allegations were aimed at owners Downing LLP.
The Isthmian League Southern Central club will cease operations, at least for now, after accusations including modern slavery, corruption, and the breaching of British sanctions against Russia.
"Staines Town Football Club (STFC) regret to announces that pursuant to third party breaches of Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and other information that has come to light, we are forced to temporarily suspend all primary operations including but not limited to competitive fixtures until a thorough investigation into the practices of Downing LLP has been conducted by the relevant authorities," the club said in a statement.
Urgent Club Statement @DowningLLP👇
— Staines Town FC (@StainesTownFC) March 29, 2022
Club to temporarily suspend all operationshttps://t.co/oSIfdhulER
Staines Town detailed the allegations made against Downing LLP on Tuesday and stated that their parent company "have no regard whatsoever for a community soccer club or for the greater good of soccer."
Part of the club's official statement also claims that Downing LLP has aided the bribery and corruption of FIFA officials via certain business investments.
Here is the statement in full@SSMLFixtures pic.twitter.com/kZp61o6DSm
— FA Cup Factfile (@FACupFactfile) March 29, 2022
Per Staines Town's communique, operations including competitive fixtures have been suspended pending an investigation of Downing LLP.
The statement which also alleges "environmental crimes, price fixing, deforestation, forced evictions, human rights abuses, child labour, slavery, gender discrimination and murder" swiftly crashed the club's website.
In a statement, Downing LLP vigorously protested the validity of the accusations.
The allegations published by Mr Dixon on the Staines Town Football Club (STFC) website against Downing LLP (Downing) and The Thames Club (TTC) (a company in which funds managed by Downing hold an investment) are untrue.
They would appear to be the latest attempt by Mr Dixon to deflect attention from his mismanagement of STFC over a number of years and this has left the club in a parlous financial position.
STFC has enjoyed the benefit of a lease from TTC, its landlord, at a peppercorn rent. Regrettably for a prolonged period, STFC has fallen into arrears on the payment of its service charge under the lease and other debts, which means it has an increasing number of unpaid creditors.
The fact that STFC is ceasing operations has nothing to do with TTC or Downing. Nor is it connected to the alleged breaches of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Act) by Downing. This is a construct and does not bear scrutiny not least because none of Downing, TTC or indeed STFC qualify as a 'commercial organisation' for the purpose of the Act as they do not meet the financial thresholds set by the Secretary of State.
That is not to suggest that Downing and TTC operate with anything other than the highest ethical standards.
The allegation that Downing has breached any Russia sanctions legislation is also wholly untrue. Mr Dixon's logic appears to be that because funds managed by Downing hold an investment in a regulated financial institution listed on the Swiss stock exchange, alongside BlackRock, UBS and a number of pension funds, Downing is breaching sanctions because the Swiss entity has some Russian interests. However that institution is not itself sanctioned and has subsidiaries which are regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and are also not sanctioned. This is the sole justification for Mr Dixon's baseless claims.
The remainder of the wild allegations made by Mr Dixon should be viewed in the context of the above.
















