Manchester City are set to appeal the guilty verdict handed down by an independent Premier League commission over alleged financial rule breaches.
The club has until Friday, October 2, to exercise its right of appeal, according to the Premier League.
The independent commission found Manchester City guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period. It also upheld most of the charges relating to the club’s failure to cooperate with the league’s investigation.
The findings cover the period from the 2009/10 to 2017/18 seasons.
The commission found that City used commercial agreements that misrepresented the true arrangements between the parties. It also found that the club submitted misstated accounts and failed to accurately report its finances to football regulators.
Manchester City strongly deny the allegations.
The club has said it will pursue the appeal process, arguing that the commission’s decision contains what it describes as errors of law, principle and fact.
During the case, City maintained that the funding in question came from the Abu Dhabi government. The commission rejected that explanation and concluded that the club had attempted to conceal the true nature of the funding arrangements.
The Premier League said the issue of any sanctions will be considered separately by the independent commission.
Possible sanctions under the league’s rules include fines, points deductions and other sporting penalties.
The appeal will be heard by an independent Appeal Board. Under the Premier League rules, the board can allow or dismiss an appeal or vary the commission’s decision.
The case remains ongoing, with the appeal process expected to determine the next stage of the long-running dispute between Manchester City and the Premier League.
