Birmingham managing director Karren Brady and co-owner David Sullivan were arrested by police investigating alleged corruption in English football, sources said tonight.
City of London Police detectives earlier said they were questioning a 59-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. It has now been confirmed that the people concerned are the two Birmingham City executives.
A spokeswoman said the pair have been released on bail. A further seven people, believed to include Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp, remain on bail in connection with the inquiry. Officials at St Andrews said tonight they had no knowledge of the arrests.
Brady became the UK's youngest managing director when Birmingham City floated on the stock market in 1997. She is also chairman of Kerrang! magazine and non-executive director of Channel 4, Mothercare and Sport England. Sullivan, the multi-millionaire proprietor of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport, co-owns Birmingham with brothers David and Ralph Gold.
Detectives from City of London Police's economic crime unit of the force are investigating claims of corruption within football. Last month detectives raided Birmingham City as part of the ongoing inquiry.
At the time, officials at St Andrews said they were assisting officers in their pursuit of parties with no direct association to the West Midlands club. Last November officers arrested a series of high-profile figures in the national game in a controversial series of raids. Among them were Redknapp, Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie, former chairman Milan Mandaric, former player Amdy Faye and agent Willie McKay.
City of London Police detectives earlier said they were questioning a 59-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. It has now been confirmed that the people concerned are the two Birmingham City executives.
A spokeswoman said the pair have been released on bail. A further seven people, believed to include Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp, remain on bail in connection with the inquiry. Officials at St Andrews said tonight they had no knowledge of the arrests.
Brady became the UK's youngest managing director when Birmingham City floated on the stock market in 1997. She is also chairman of Kerrang! magazine and non-executive director of Channel 4, Mothercare and Sport England. Sullivan, the multi-millionaire proprietor of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport, co-owns Birmingham with brothers David and Ralph Gold.
Detectives from City of London Police's economic crime unit of the force are investigating claims of corruption within football. Last month detectives raided Birmingham City as part of the ongoing inquiry.
At the time, officials at St Andrews said they were assisting officers in their pursuit of parties with no direct association to the West Midlands club. Last November officers arrested a series of high-profile figures in the national game in a controversial series of raids. Among them were Redknapp, Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie, former chairman Milan Mandaric, former player Amdy Faye and agent Willie McKay.
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