Manchester City Appeals Premier League Financial Rule-Breaking Verdict
Manchester City lodged a comprehensive appeal on Thursday evening, asserting that an independent commission’s verdict finding the club guilty of serious financial rule-breaking contains clear material errors of law, principle, and fact, and is unsafe.
Manchester City Lodges Comprehensive Appeal After Guilty Verdict
Manchester City confirmed on Friday that it had officially submitted its appeal papers against an independent commission’s ruling. The Premier League published a verdict on Tuesday establishing that the club was guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of competition financial rules from 2009 to 2018. In a short statement issued by the club, officials declared that the opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle, and fact, and is unsafe, maintaining that the club is innocent and supported by a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence.
The Premier League stated that the appeal hearing will remain private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted. Under league regulations, the chair of the three-person investigatory panel that found against City must appoint the new appeal board.
Panel Rejects City Claims About Abu Dhabi Funding
The investigatory panel concluded that sponsors in Abu Dhabi only paid 119.25 million pounds ($158.4 million) of the 949.94 million pounds stated in club accounts, with the remaining 830.69 million pounds paid by the Abu Dhabi United Group, the private company of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
City contended during the proceedings that no part of the deals was funded by the private holding company and that the Abu Dhabi government helped fund the deals from time to time. The independent panel rejected that explanation as untrue, concluding it was concocted well after the event to disguise the source of funding. City was expected to claim as part of its appeal that key sponsorship deals were funded directly by the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club’s owners. That defense faces scrutiny regarding statements major sponsor Etihad Airways gave to the United States government in 2015 during a Department of Commerce investigation, wherein Etihad asserted that it does not receive subsidies from the Abu Dhabi government and funded its sponsorship from its own liquidity. Etihad stated that the assertion that the Abu Dhabi government paid for its sponsorship of the club is false, noting that it entered into a 10-year sponsorship agreement in 2011 which included stadium naming rights.
Reactions Across English Football and Political Circles
The verdict has drawn sharp responses from sports figures and politicians. The Football Association stated that the verdict has significant implications for the integrity of the game and indicated it is carefully considering the decision with the potential to launch its own investigation and apply further sanctions. Meanwhile, political figures have faced scrutiny, with Liberal Democrats urging Andy Burnham to publish details of meetings with club owners following comments criticizing the Premier League process. Liberal Democrats spokesperson Anna Sabine criticized the prime minister’s response as extraordinary, noting that an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 charges including sham contracts and schemes to disguise over 830 million pounds of funding, and called on Burnham to publish details and conversations regarding the club, Abu Dhabi United Group, City Football Group, and UAE government representatives going back to his time as mayor, along with any hospitality freebies received.
Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini dismissed concerns over his own implication in the scandal, telling reporters that the case is not a problem that concerns him. Mancini acknowledged having a double contract as City coach from 2009 to 2013, which reports indicated may have involved unrecorded salary payments intended to avoid income tax and national insurance liabilities. Mancini stated: It’s not a problem that concerns me
and added: Manchester City is not guilty and the fact of having a double contract isn’t my problem but theirs, probably.
Premier League May Fine or Expel the Club
The club has yet to receive a punishment, with potential sanctions under Premier League rules including a reprimand, fine, points deduction, or expulsion from the competition.