Manchester City have been found guilty of all 115 charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League regulations, with the league confirming the long-awaited verdict on Tuesday.
City denied all of the allegations throughout the case, but an independent commission has now ruled against the club on every charge.
It includes creating a stream of ‘sham’ contracts to help inflate revenue and reduce costs by more than £900m over nine years.
The Premier League issued a 1,545-word statement confirming the decision, bringing an end to an eight-year process which began with the league’s investigation into City’s financial affairs.
The club now have until Friday, October 2, to exercise their right to appeal.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the decision as the most significant disciplinary ruling in the competition’s history.
“The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.
“It also vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently.
“It is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the Rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition. It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously.
“This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history. There are elements of the case that remain to be decided, including, importantly, what sanction must follow for these breaches. Now we have the Commission’s decision, we are committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process, to provide certainty for the League, our clubs and fans.”
City maintain innocence and prepare appeal
Manchester City responded by once again rejecting the commission’s findings and insisting that evidence exists to support the club’s position.
City said they were “disappointed and surprised” by the decision and confirmed that they intend to pursue the appeal process.
A club statement read: “Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today. The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.
“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now 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.
“The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.
“The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.”
Punishment still to be decided
Despite the scale of the verdict, Manchester City’s eventual punishment has not yet been confirmed.
The Premier League has stressed that the sanctions process is a separate stage of the case, meaning the commission’s findings do not immediately determine what disciplinary action the club will face.
Masters confirmed that sanctions remain outstanding and said the league wants the process to move forward as quickly as possible.
Potential punishments have been widely debated throughout the case, from points deductions to stripped titles, but no decision has yet been taken on what consequences will follow from the 115 guilty verdicts.
City’s appeal could also prolong the process, with the club now able to challenge the commission’s conclusions before any final outcome is reached.
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