Man City Owners Warned of Possible Expulsion After Financial Breaches Verdict

The chair of the Independent Football Regulator, David Kogan, has warned that Manchester City's owners could face action after the club was found guilty of all 115 financial charges in the Premier League's case.

The regulator said it has the power to judge whether owners, directors and executives are suitable to run clubs, and it will use that power where needed. 

"The independent commission's decision raises serious issues," Kogan said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. "The IFR has powers to assess the suitability of owners, directors and executives and we will use these powers where appropriate, in the interests of protecting the sustainability, honesty and integrity of English football where there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals. This includes taking account of findings made by the Leagues. However, as the proceedings remain ongoing between Manchester City and the Premier League, we will await further developments. We hope it can be resolved quickly for the sake of fans. For now, we have no further comment."

The Premier League announced the verdict on Tuesday. The independent panel found that City used "sham contracts" with commercial partners to inflate their revenues and cut their costs. The club's finances were falsely changed by nearly £900m between 2009 and 2018. The Abu Dhabi United Group was also said to have propped up the rest of the sponsorship fees, which let City file misstated accounts and break domestic and European spending limits.

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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the ruling sets out what went on at the club. "The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period," he said. "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."

City have hit back and say they did nothing wrong. "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 said. "The club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums."

The club has until Friday to appeal and says the verdict contains clear material errors. No punishment has been decided yet, so it is still unclear what sanctions will follow, or whether the owners will actually be forced out.