Manchester City have confirmed they have lodged an appeal after an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
The club’s statement denounced the ruling, claiming it contained “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe”, and asserted its innocence by filing “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” on Thursday evening.
Earlier on Friday, the Football Association said the verdict has “significant implications for the integrity of the game” and is “carefully considering the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate.” The FA added that proceedings remain ongoing and it will not comment further, but will continue to monitor developments closely. The FA’s overarching powers could lead to a separate investigation and further sanctions.
Sources told BBC Sport that City were expected to claim that key sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club’s owners. However, City’s defence may be undermined by statements that major sponsor Etihad Airways gave to the United States government in 2015. In response to the US Department of Commerce, Transportation and State during an investigation into state-owned airlines, Etihad Airways said: “The assertion that the Abu Dhabi government paid for Etihad’s sponsorship of English Premier League football club Manchester City is false. In 2011, Etihad and Manchester City entered into a 10-year sponsorship agreement, which included naming rights for Manchester City’s stadium. Etihad funded this sponsorship from its own liquidity.” Etihad Airways later stated: “We are and have always been clear that we do not receive any subsidies from the Abu Dhabi government.”
The independent panel’s findings decided that City arranged “sham contracts” with a number of commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m. The Premier League says City “systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade”.
