The Premier League has confirmed that Manchester City has been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. An independent commission found that the club arranged "sham contracts" with commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing and has until October 2 to submit an appeal.
According to the commission's report, Manchester City recorded £360m in sponsor fees in the three seasons they won the Premier League - 2011-12, 2013-14, and 2017-18. However, only £43m of it was legitimate, while the rest came from their owners and was disguised. The commission described the sham commercial deals as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to the scale of £830.69m.
The commission's report highlighted the scale of evidence it had to consider, with the index alone running to more than 750 pages, while the core bundle of documents "ran to many tens of thousands of pages". The report also found that a number of important Club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects and that some knowingly gave untrue and dishonest evidence.
Manchester City is owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, who took over the club in 2008. The Premier League's chief executive, Richard Masters, said that the core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. He added that it details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.
The Premier League also said that Manchester City's sanction "will be addressed separately in a further hearing with the independent commission". The League's rules state that the hearing must remain private and confidential. Some politicians and football figures have reacted to the verdict, with Lisa Nandy MP, the Culture, Media & Sport secretary, describing it as "incredibly serious".
David Bernstein, who was Manchester City chairman between 1998-2003, said the "credibility of the Premier League is at stake" after the verdict. He added that the sanctions cannot just be financial, and that Manchester City cannot stay in the Premier League if the accusations are proven.
Manchester City has issued a statement saying they are "disappointed and surprised" by the opinion of the Premier League Commission. The club will pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe. Manchester City chief executive officer Ferran Soriano declined to comment but later issued a video message to club staff criticizing a "Premier League conspiracy theory".
Key points
- Manchester City found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules
- Club arranged "sham contracts" with commercial partners to disguise secret funding
- Sanctions to be addressed separately in further hearing with independent commission
