Brisbane Roar's financial crisis looks set to come to a head
after the Queensland Rugby Union filed an application to have the A-League club
wound up.
The QRU are one of the many creditors allegedly owed money
by the Roar and on Friday submitted documents in the Queensland Supreme Court
in relation to nearly 12 months of outstanding rent payments at Ballymore, the
club's former training base.
The application gives the Roar and their
financially-stricken owners, The Bakrie Group, until August 19 to settle the
debt or else liquidators will move in and the company, Brisbane Roar Football
Club Pty Ltd, will be wound up. A hearing has been set for the same date.
"It is disappointing that, not for the first time, the
QRU is owed money by the Brisbane Roar," said QRU chief executive Jim
Carmichael.
"Maybe the FFA need to examine the ownership model of
their A League franchises and now provide some level of comfort to
organisations who have supported this franchise over a number of years and
through their difficult times off the field."
It's understood the QRU was poised to file the documents
last week but decided to wait so as to not overshadow the Roar's friendly
against Liverpool.
However, Carmichael wrote to Football Federation Australia
chief executive David Gallop last week asking the governing body to intervene.
It is not the first time the Roar has been in debt to rugby
union. The QRU has previously written off unpaid rent cheques in the past but
has grown fed up with waiting.
A Brisbane Roar spokesperson said the club has not yet
received any legal documents and therefore would make no comment on the matter.
The Roar moved into Ballymore in 2008 and their agreement to
use the QRU's facilities only expired last month.
Ballymore was Liverpool's temporary home during the lead-up
to their exhibition match at Suncorp Stadium under a generous arrangement that
poured much-needed funds into rugby's coffers.
The development comes two weeks after chairman Chris Fong
declared the club would be sold after reaching an agreement with a new buyer
that would see "all creditors paid and stability restored."
Fong did not name the interested party and while there was
initial skepticism over the validity of his claims - including from Roar patron
Gary Wilkins - it's believed talks with the mystery buyer are progressing and
an announcement the club has changed hands could be made as early next week.
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