EFL introduce regulations following Leeds ‘Spygate’ scandal and make ‘Rooney Rule’ mandatory from next season
The move comes after a member of Marcelo Bielsa's staff was caught trying to watch a Derby County training session ahead of their Championship clash
English Football League clubs will be banned from trying to watch their opponents' training sessions 72 hours before a game.
This comes after the ‘Spygate’ scandal in 2018/19 when a member of Leeds’ staff was caught trying to watch a Derby training session ahead of their Championship clash.
Leeds were fined £200,000 and warned about their future conduct in February.
At the time, they were found to have breached EFL regulation 3.4, which states clubs must act with the 'utmost good faith' towards each other.
The matter was raised again at the EFL's annual general meeting in Portugal this week and the regulation has been tweaked.
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It now reads: "Without prejudice to the requirements of regulation 3.4 (that each club shall behave towards each other club with the upmost good faith), no club shall directly or indirectly observe (or attempt to observe) another club's training session in the period of 72 hours prior to any match scheduled to be played between those respective clubs."
The EFL has also announced it will introduce a recruitment code into regulations to help address the under-representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) managers.
There has been a trial period during which clubs have voluntarily committed to interview at least one BAME candidate when recruiting for any senior managerial role.
Following formalisation of the commitment it is now mandatory for clubs to interview at least one BAME candidate when searching for a new manager.
An EFL statement read: "The EFL has today made a further commitment to improving equality in first-team football by introducing a recruitment code into Regulations in order to help address the under-representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) managers.
"It follows an 18-month trial period, with EFL Clubs voluntarily committing to interview at least one BAME candidate when undertaking a recruitment process for any managerial position in first-team football.
"That commitment has now been formalised with the introduction of a new Regulation ensuring that the principle of providing more opportunities to BAME candidates is mandatory when Clubs consider multiple applicants for a role."