Manchester City found guilty of 115 breaches of Premier League rules
· Yahoo Sports
Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Manchester City Football Club was found guilty Friday of most of the charges of financial breaches of the English Premier League laws.
Sanctions against the team haven't yet been determined, and it will likely appeal.
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City were found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges of breaches of Financial Fair Play, The Athletic reported.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is the former mayor of Greater Manchester, urged fans not to jump to conclusions. Some have worried that Man City could lose titles.
"But if [the reports are] confirmed, obviously I will want to look at the report of the independent commission. People shouldn't jump to those kind of conclusions [about titles being stripped]. I know, this has been a long process between the club and the Premier League. ... I think we would all need to study the independent commission's report in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions," the Manchester Evening News reported Burnham said.
A Manchester City representative told The Athletic, "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such, Manchester City F.C.'s position remains consistent with the club's statement of February 2023.
"The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence."
The 2023 statement said the club was "surprised" by the charges and "welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position."
In 2018, German newspaper Der Spiegel published leaked financial documents from the club.
The Premier League then accused City of providing inaccurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of UEFA's financial fair play regulations and the league's own profitability and sustainability rules.
City denied the allegations.
The club has won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups, seven League Cups and one Champions League under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour. His company Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club in 2008. Six of those titles have come since the charges were filed.
Sanctions could be a reprimand and fines to points deductions to expulsion from the Premier League, The Athletic reported.
Team manager Josep "Pep" Guardiola left the team in May after 10 years and has since been replaced with Enzo Maresca. This season, City have had five wins and are at the top of the standings.