Everything you need to know about the Manchester City hearing and charges – The Irish Times

What allegations are being made against Manchester City?

The Premier League has accused the champions of more than 100 breaches of competition rules between the 2009/10 and 2022/23 seasons. The charges cover four areas: failure to provide “a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”; failure to provide “full details” of player and manager remuneration; breaches of national and continental Financial Fair Play rules; and failure to “cooperate with and assist the Premier League in its investigations”. The charges will be heard by a three-member independent commission starting Monday, presumably at a venue in London.

Do we have details?

The Premier League has only released a detailed indictment without further details. However, the timing suggests that the charges are consistent with allegations already made public. First, that City inflated the value of sponsorship deals to funnel more money from the owners into the club. Second, that there were secret payments to manager Roberto Mancini and Yaya Touré’s then-agent. Third, that the club breached financial rules through these actions. Fourth, that City obstructed the Premier League when it sought to investigate the allegations. City has always denied any wrongdoing.

Why are fees important?

Because of their seismic nature and impact, whatever the verdict. Because they are unprecedented in domestic football. And because of City’s dominance. In the 14 seasons covered by the charges, City won seven Premier League titles, six League Cups, three FA Cups and the Champions League. Since then they have won another Premier League title, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. They played in the Champions League every season from 2011-12. This has driven the Premier League’s global dominance and driven up transfer fees (City’s squad is worth over £1 billion). There are also arguments that it has affected the competitive balance here and across Europe, led to the near-development of a breakaway Super League (of which City were a part) and accelerated the need for independent regulation of English football. In February 2023, when the charges were brought, La Liga president Javier Tebas described the English top flight as a “doping market”. On Friday, he told Mundo Deportivo: “I have spoken to many Premier League clubs and most of them understand that City should be punished.” If it is found that City succeeded despite breaking the rules, the game will be subject to greater scrutiny.

What happens next?

On the instructions of the Premier League, Murray Rosen KC has selected three people to form the independent commission that will examine the charges. One member of this panel must be a financial expert. The hearings will be held in camera and, although there is no official timetable, legal experts believe they will last at least two months. When the commission publishes its ruling, either side can appeal to an appeals body and then go to arbitration. If all else fails, either side can try to find a dispute in the Supreme Court. Under the Premier League’s club rules, there is no option for either party to appeal to the Swiss Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

If you are guilty, what could the punishment be?

According to Rule W.51 in the Premier League Handbook, a committee can impose a wide range of sanctions on any club found to have breached the rules. These include fines, points deductions and suspension or even exclusion from the competition. In fact, sub-point W.51.7 states that the committee “may impose on the defendant any combination of the foregoing or any other penalty it considers appropriate”. This even leaves open the possibility of City being stripped of its titles.

What does the city say?

The champions are optimistic. The club officially states that it “welcomes the review” and the opportunity to “impartially examine the extensive irrefutable evidence that supports its position.” Club sources also say City were not informed of the allegations before they were published online. Finally, they argue that the club had previously been investigated for breaches of financial rules and cleared.

Haven’t we been here before with UEFA?

In 2020, UEFA suspended City from the Champions League for two years because it had “overstated its sponsorship income in its financial statements” between 2012 and 2016 – part of the same period covered by the Premier League’s charges. However, that sanction was overturned on appeal by CAS. In its ruling, CAS found that a number of the claims made by UEFA fell outside a five-year “statute of limitations” that prevented historic charges. However, the court also argued that a key charge concerning payments related to sponsorship by Etihad Airlines was “unsubstantiated”. The panel said UEFA had not provided sufficient evidence and, if its reasoning was correct, City employees who testified before CAS must have lied.

Is this the result of “Football Leaks”?

UEFA found City had breached Financial Fair Play rules in 2014, but reached a settlement with City, paying a €20 million (£17 million) fine and entering reduced teams for the Champions League. The renewed scrutiny of the alleged irregularities came after the 2015 document hack known as “Football Leaks” apparently exposed official documents and email communications from inside City as well as a number of other football organisations. These documents are also believed to have sparked the Premier League’s investigation, a four-year process that has led to these allegations. City has previously described Football Leaks as an “orchestrated campaign” and part of a “never-ending attempt to damage us”.