Massimo Cellino, the owner of Leeds United, Saturday’s visitors to Portman Road, has been disqualified from owning the club by the Football League and asked to resign.
Cellino was previously allowed to take control of the club having appealed against an initial decision to disqualify him after he was found guilty of failing to pay import tax on a yacht by an Italian court.
A Football League statement reads: "At its meeting last week, the board considered the reasoned judgment of the Italian Court against Mr Cellino, having successfully applied to the Italian Courts for its full disclosure.
"The board considered detailed legal advice and agreed unanimously (with the exception of its chief executive, Shaun Harvey, who did not take part in the debate or vote having declared an interest [he was previously Leeds’ chief executive]) that Mr Cellino is subject to a disqualifying condition under the terms of the [Owners’ and Directors’] Test.”
Cellino is entitled to appeal against the decision to the Football League’s Professional Conduct Committee within 14 days and would be able to return to the club on March 18th next year.
In response Leeds said in a statement: "We have today received a notice from the Football League disqualifying Mr Cellino from being a director of Leeds United Football Club until 18th March 2015.
"The club is in the process of taking legal advice on the reasoning of the decision. In the interim, the club notes that nothing has changed since the decision of the Football League’s Professional Conduct Committee in April 2014.
"The steps that the League wishes the club to take — to remove Mr Cellino only to re-appoint him in three months’ time - will be destabilising for the club, its supporters and sponsors and cannot be in the best interests of any party."
Leeds are currently 15th in the Championship, 11 points behind the second-placed Blues, having beaten leaders Derby 2-0 at Elland Road on Saturday.