Premier League wants Man City ruling before season ends

Premier League trophy Photo: Web

The English Premier League wants Manchester City’s financial rules case to be resolved as quickly as possible, with senior football figures telling BBC Sport on Wednesday that they believe the process should be concluded before the end of the season.

City were found guilty of all charges relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

The charges included allegations that the club artificially inflated revenue by more than £900m through sponsorship arrangements.

Manchester City have consistently denied the allegations and are expected to appeal the guilty verdict.

The case has already taken three years since City were charged, raising concerns that the final punishment could be delayed even further.

However, senior figures within football believe there is no reason why the matter cannot be completed this season.

One club official told BBC Sport that resolving the case quickly would benefit everyone, while another source said the process “should” be concluded by the end of the campaign and expressed hope that any appeal would be handled within a compressed timeframe.

The final decision on City’s punishment rests with an independent commission. Both the Premier League and Manchester City can make submissions on what they believe the appropriate sanction should be before the commission reaches its decision.

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There is growing pressure for the case to be settled before the season ends because allowing City to complete another campaign without a punishment could create uncertainty, particularly if they challenge for or win the Premier League title.

Premier League regulations state that an appeal should normally be concluded within 12 weeks of being filed, with a decision expected within 30 days of the appeal ending.

However, it remains unclear whether those provisions will apply directly to City’s case.
Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has previously suggested that the process could continue for a considerable period.

City cannot make a further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, although they could potentially challenge the process at the High Court on grounds relating to impartiality.

The Premier League said it wanted the case to be “concluded as soon as possible”.
Meanwhile, City’s main sponsor Etihad Airways has rejected any suggestion that it was involved in improper commercial arrangements and said it was considering legal advice over the way the findings were communicated.

The airline said it had not been given an opportunity to participate in the process and was concerned that the Premier League’s public statements had created damaging implications for the company.

The Premier League declined to comment on Etihad’s statement.