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Briatore steps down as football chairman

ESPNF1 Staff
February 22, 2010 « Todt rules out Indonesian Grand Prix | »
Flavio Briatore: abused by fans at the last game he attended © Sutton Images
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Flavio Briatore might have won his court case against an indefinite ban from motorsport, but his problems continue to mount with news he has stepped down as chairman of Queens Park Rangers and sold most of his shares in the club.

There had been unease that Briatore remained at the helm in the light of the ban which was imposed last September following the Crashgate scandal. But in the end a lack of success on the field led to his decision.

QPR have had ten managers and have signed 47 players in the 29 months since Briatore took charge in partnership with Bernie Ecclestone, but are still languishing at the bottom end of the Championship.

"My three years as chairman have been an exciting and incredible experience," Briatore claimed. "I'm proud to have helped save this historical club and to have contributed in paving the way to its future success."

His departure will not be mourned by many Rangers fans as Briatore was widely reported to have constantly interfered with team affairs. He was barracked at half-time during a recent 2-1 defeat by Ipswich Town and did not retake his seat in the directors' box for the second half.

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