
Manchester City confirms appeal against guilty verdict
Manchester City have confirmed they are appealing after an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations.
In a brief statement, the club said the commission’s decision contained “obvious material errors, of law, principle and fact, and was dangerous.”
Affirming its innocence, the club added that it had filed Thursday evening “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence (which) exists to support all of its positions.”
Earlier on Friday, the Football Association said the verdict against City had “significant implications for the integrity of the game”.
In a statement, English football’s governing body added: “We are carefully studying the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate.”
It was confirmed on Tuesday that City had been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
“As proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City Football Club are still ongoing, we do not intend to comment further at this stage,” the FA added.
“We will nevertheless continue to closely monitor developments in the situation.”
The overarching powers the FA has could lead to the governing body launching its own investigation into the matter, under threat of further sanctions.
Sources have told BBC Sport that City are expected to claim major sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club’s owners, as part of an appeal.
Among the independent panel’s findings was that City entered into “fictitious contracts” with a number of business partners as part of a scheme to hide secret funding of more than £830 million.
The Premier League claims City “systematically breached Premier League rules for almost a decade”.
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