Manchester City have issued a statement in response to the numerous charges brought against them by the Premier League for financial rule breaches.
Earlier today, the six-time Premier League champions were charged with over a hundred violations of the league’s financial rules following an investigation that began in 2018.
However, the defending champions replied with a defiant statement of their own on the club website, stating their surprise at the alleged breaches and revealed they are willing and ready to cooperate with the league body.
It read: “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.”
Club statement
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 6, 2023
They were charged by the Premier League with breaches of its financial rules following an investigation that lasted for four years. The alleged violations took place between 2009 and 2018, with the top division controlling body referring the defending champions to an independent commission.
BREAKING! Manchester City have been charged by the Premier League with numerous alleged breaches of financial rules.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 6, 2023
The Premier League also accused the Manchester-based club of not complying with the investigation since it began in December 2018.
City is accused of violating a number of league regulations that call for them to furnish detailed financial information that presents a true and impartial picture of the team’s financial situation.
According to the league, the club’s “income (including sponsorship money), its related parties, and its running costs” are all tied to the precise financial information needed.
The second set of alleged violations listed refers to alleged breaking of rules “requiring a member club to include full details of manager renumeration in its relevant contracts with its manager”. These charges are with respect to the 2009–10 to 2012–13 seasons, while current Italy boss Roberto Mancini was the manager of the side.
The second set of alleged violations also requires a club to include “full details of player remuneration within the relevant contracts”, for the seasons 2010-11 to 2015-16 inclusive.
The third part of the charges deals with alleged violations of Premier League regulations, which demand that clubs comply with UEFA financial fair play rules from 2013–14 to 2017–18.
The fourth set of alleged violations relates to the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules from the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons.
Furthermore, the club is alleged to have violated league regulations that require member clubs to co-operate with and render needed assistance to the Premier League with its investigations, from December 2018 to date.
In a statement released today, the Premier League said: “In accordance with Premier League rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today [February 6, 2023] referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League rules by Manchester City Football Club to a commission under Premier League rule W.3.4.
“Commissions are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The members of the commission will be appointed by the independent chair of the Premier League judicial panel, in accordance with Premier League rules W.19, W.20 and W.26.
“The proceedings before the commission will, in accordance with Premier League rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private. Under Premier League rule W.82.2, the commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.
“This confirmation is made in accordance with Premier League rule W.82.1. The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice.”
These charges follow the two-year ban that was overturned in 2020 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), after UEFA’s club financial control body (CFCB) found them guilty of “serious breaches” of club licensing and financial fair play regulations in February 2020.
