admin Manchester City are preparing their evidence to refute strong accusations from the Premier League that could change the game.
UEFA has been warned that any resolutionto the Premier League accusations against ManchesterCity” willalmost certainly cause serious unrest among member clubs includingriots
Earlier this year, Man City faced a series of seriousallegations from the Premier League, including nearly a decade of lyingabout their finances to the football-related authorities. The club vehemently denies any suggestion thatithasbreachedtherulesofthe competition and will be able to defend its position before an independent court that will evaluate the evidence.
The Premier League long-runninginvestigationfollows a similar UEFAinvestigation into City,which concluded in 2020 that the Blues had breached their FinancialFairPlay rules and should be banned from participating. Champions League for two years. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned that decision – the only thing C
ity were found guilty of was not cooperating with UEFA’s investigation, which the club insisted was irregular – but thatruling was not enough to clear Man City’s name in the trial. court of public opinion.
Alongwith other clubs wantingmorescrutinyof the Blues, the Premier League is also evolving at a time when their own managerialabilitiesarebeingchallenged by outside forces. Manyhave observed that the shocking decision to make such serious allegations against the English champions – this news even surprised the Premier League’s own website, which initially containedinaccuratelist of the exact allegations against Man City – given just 24 hours before the UK government madeit.ispreparing to publish a White Paper on FootballManagementReform.
A quick poll of 1,000 football fans found three-quarters believed City had broken the rules and Pep Guardiola insisted the club were not allowed to defend themselves before being convicted. public. As the club prepares a long legal defense for the independent panel, it seems inevitable that any decision will have huge consequences for the game and for many clubs. The set is fighting to be the best team.
In the International Journal of Sports Law, Dr. Gregory Ioannidis and Dr. Dan Plumley write: “Although the authors do not make any predictions as to the outcome of this case, one thing is certain. , that is the danger of autonomy that the sport faces in terms of its ability to self-regulate.
“There are different dynamics controlling the decision-making of all the stakeholders involved. Whatever the outcome of the current dispute, it is almost certain that UEFA will face serious unrest from its member clubs, including mutiny.
“The financial prowess of football clubs such as Manchester City, with the expert lawyers taking apart the inefficiency and complexity of the regulations (contra preferentem comes to mind), can only demonstrate how weak such regulations are in their application.”
While any outcome is likely to kick off another fierce debate on the worth of financial fair play rules and the value in independent regulation, the hearing will have serious and material consequences for City and the Premier League. The charges are unprecedented in their nature, and so vast that industry experts expect it to be years before the matter is resolved.
From what little is known publicly about the case, and findings from the CAS verdict, it is entirely possible that City could be found guilty of not co-operating with another investigation. However, Ioannidis (leading sports lawyer and professor at Sheffield Hallam University) and Plumley (sports finance expert and also at Sheffield Hallam University) contend that the Premier League must instead prove its most damning allegations – held to a higher standard than a normal civil case because of their seriousness – to satisfy the judging panel.
“It would not be good enough for the Premier League to argue that Manchester City failed to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation,” they write. “The Premier League would have to go beyond this, by proving that Manchester City, as a matter of fact and evidence, failed to produce accurate financial information (and/or lied about it) in relation to their revenue, within the meaning of the current regulations.
“This is not an easy burden for the Premier League. But it should not be easy, because the allegations produced are of a very serious nature.
“Should the Premier League be able to discharge such a burden, the burden will then shift to Manchester City, who would, in turn, have to respond, and attempt to discharge it. The sliding scale, therefore, of the standard of proof, will be in full force and action here.
“Advisors must, therefore, make a note that the weight of the evidence and the manner in which it is presented, may be the deciding factors in the final decision making of the Panel.”
Extracts from International Sports Law Review reproduced by permission of Thomson Reuters Sweet & Maxwell and the authors: © Thomson Reuters and Contributors 2023
