FA Breaks Silence on Man City Verdict and Warns of 'Significant Implications'

The Football Association (FA) says the guilty verdict against Manchester City has "significant implications for the integrity of the game."

The FA said it is looking carefully at the decision and "will take action where appropriate." Its full statement read: "The Independent Commission's decision has significant implications for the integrity of the game. We are carefully considering the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate. As proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City Football Club remain ongoing, we do not intend to comment further at this stage. We will, however, continue to monitor developments closely."

City have until Friday to appeal the verdict, and they have said they will. The independent commission found that more than £830 million ($1.1 billion) in funding was used to inflate the club's income, helping City meet Premier League and UEFA financial rules through a series of "sham" arrangements. In its 40-page decision, published on Tuesday, the commission rejected City's explanation as "untrue". It said the club had "concocted" the "explanation" "well after the event in an attempt to obscure and conceal the realities of the disguised funding scheme."

Etihad Airways, City's sponsor, is thinking about legal action against the Premier League. The airline is owned by an Abu Dhabi fund chaired by the brother of City owner Sheikh Mansour.

[Sports Lawyer Claims Man City Players Could Become Free Agents After Verdict]

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC earlier this week that he would be worried if City's owners sold the club because of the verdict. He said they have been "a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester." A spokesman for 10 Downing Street later added to that. "As the Prime Minister made clear, the initial judgement is serious and there can't be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules," he said. "He also stressed that it is an ongoing independent process. It is essential that it is allowed to run its course and the outcome respected. If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences."

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher wrote in The Telegraph that the owners should go. "The club can only heal and recover from the shame of their guilt once the custodians recognise they have failed in their duty and sell up," he said.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said the whole league has been hurt. Speaking on the Stick To Football podcast on Disney+, he said: "To listen to this, it is chilling. We always think that we've got an enormous integrity, the Premier League, that we are the sort of league that sets the standard, and that it's other leagues that have got corruption, fraud, doping scandals, match-fixing, referee scandals.

"This is now coming to our country. This is now coming to our league. This is the greatest export that we have in our country. At the moment we're being dragged through the mud."