Manchester City insist they are innocent of all charges related to financial breaches

Manchester City have formally submitted an appeal against the independent commission's ruling that found them guilty of multiple breaches of Premier League financial regulations. The club has declared its innocence, asserting that the judgement is merely an opinion containing significant legal and factual errors, which they deem unsafe. City insists that they possess irrefutable evidence to support their position in this matter, which has been ongoing for several years.

The independent commission determined that from 2009/10 to 2017/18, Manchester City engaged in a scheme involving 'sham' contracts with commercial partners to inflate their revenues by £830 million. The commission concluded that the club had concealed the true state of its finances and had breached numerous Premier League regulations, with three out of four alleged breaches upheld during the investigation.

City's appeal, lodged just before midday on Friday, must be resolved within 12 weeks according to Premier League rules. The appeal hearing is limited to five days and must occur in a single block. The panel for the appeal will differ from the original commission, and they have 30 days to deliver their judgement following the hearing, which could extend the process into January.

As part of their appeal, Manchester City is expected to argue that funding for their sponsorship deals originated from the Abu Dhabi government rather than directly from their owners. This argument was previously rejected by the independent commission, which described it as a post-event fabrication. The club's ownership structure, linked to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has been a point of contention regarding the separation of state investment and private interests.

The appeal may face delays if Manchester City contests the application of the new expedited rules, which were not in place when the initial charges were filed. Legal experts suggest that the club could have a strong case for arguing that the new regulations should not apply retroactively, potentially prolonging the appeal process into 2027.

via Sky Sports