Man City send response to Premier League after guilty verdict

Man City send response to Premier League after guilty verdict Manchester City Appeal Premier League Financial Rule Breaches After Guilty Verdict Manchester City have been found guilty on virtually every charge in one of the biggest financial regulation cases English football has seen. The independent commission concluded that the club breached Premier League financial rules across a period stretching from 2009 to 2018, with the central finding focused on what were described as sham commercial deals tied to sponsors. In simple terms, the ruling states that a number of sponsorship arrangements were not what they appeared to be. The commission found they formed part of a disguised funding scheme, with the companies involved paying only part of the sponsorship fees attached to those agreements. The rest, according to the findings, was effectively made up elsewhere. Premier League charges move to sanction stage The Premier League has confirmed that the next step will be a separate hearing to determine punishment. That matters because the guilty verdict settles liability, while sanction could shape the competitive and financial future of the club. Points deductions, fines and other sporting penalties will now be part of the conversation. City, for their part, have until October 2 to trigger their appeal rights, and they have already made it clear they intend to do exactly that. Manchester City insist verdict is unsafe The club’s response was direct and combative. In its statement, City said: “Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today. “The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.” City then went further, arguing there had been a failure in process as well as in judgment. The statement added: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe. “The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence. “The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.” Financial fair play case far from finished There was one acquittal, a minor obstruction-related allegation. Beyond that, the commission backed the league’s case. That is the hard fact. The legal fight goes on, the sanction hearing comes next, and the appeal will decide whether this becomes a historic punishment or a historic escape.