Manchester City faces Premier League probe over Financial Fair Play allegations
Manchester City FC has been charged with more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play (FFP) rules.
The charges follow a four-year probe.
City, current Premier League Champions, has been referred to an independent commission over the alleged breaches, between 2009 and 2018.
Sanctions against the club could include a fine, points deductions, or expelling the club from the Premier League.
City has also been accused by the Premier League of not co-operating with the investigation, which has been running since December 2018.
The Premier League said today: “In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club (Club) to a Commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4.”
The statement said City were required to offer “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs”.
Another area of investigation includes “full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager”. The investigation related to the 2009-10 to 2012-13 seasons when Roberto Mancini was in charge.
Player remuneration between 2010-11 and 2015-16 is under investigation.
City is also accused of breaching rules related to regulations relating to European governing body, UEFA, including Financial Fair Play (FFP), from 2013-14 to 2017-18, as well as Premier League rules on profitability and sustainability from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
In 2020 UEFA ruled that City had committed “serious breaches” of FFP regulations between 2012 and 2016, but a subsequent two-year ban from European competitions was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) later that year.
Initial allegations about City and FFP breachers were raised by German newspaper Der Spiegel in November 2018.
The commission proceedings will be confidential and heard in private.
The club responded to the charges today, saying: “Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.
“The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.
“As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
