After four years of numerous legal delays, the Premier League has taken a radical step by accusing Manchester City of committing over one hundred violations to Financial Fair Play regulations. An independent commission will now review evidence from suspected breaches that have spanned nine seasons since 2009-10. This is an unprecedented move in football history and marks another milestone for accountability within sports leagues.
In the event that the commission finds City responsible for the violations, they may be subject to a number of penalties, including ejection from the top division. Using trusted Football API, it was easy to access Football Analyses, Football Data Providers, and platforms that provide accurate information that can give insight into the case.
The consequences for the alleged violations are believed to include spending limits, transfer prohibitions, point subtractions; data that can be found online at football analysis sites and statistics providers. Additionally, championships won during the relevant time frame may even be stripped away. An extensive report from the Premier League indicates that on multiple occasions throughout several seasons, many regulations have been violated by the current title holder.
Back in March 2019, after Der Spiegel revealed hidden documents detailing Manchester City’s financial matters, the Premier League carried out an investigation. Ultimately, UEFA determined that between 2012 and 2016 – due to what they deemed as proof of exaggeration of sponsorship earnings in their accounts- and expelled the organization from partaking in the Champions League for two consecutive seasons. But luckily enough though, following an appeal presented by City to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), this decision was reversed; not only were all initial sanctions lifted but also a 20 million euro decrease on their original €30 million penalties was granted!
City has repeatedly and forcefully denied any wrongdoing and has said that emails that were released in connection with the Premier League inquiry were taken “out of context” and that there was an “effort to harm the club’s reputation is organized and evident.”
Following the announcement of more than a dozen new sponsorship agreements, City reported profits of £41.7 million and commercial takings of £309.4 million, representing a 14% year-over-year gain.
In a statement in response to the Premier League confirming the charges, the club said Manchester City FC is surprised by the publication of these alleged violations of the Premier League Rules, especially given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.