The Football Association has stated for the first time that it has the authority to discipline Manchester City and prominent figures connected to the club following findings that multiple financial rules were violated.
According to the FA, the independent panel’s ruling carries “significant implications for the integrity of the game,” and appropriate measures will be taken if necessary.
City plan to challenge the panel’s verdict. After a 42-day hearing, the commission determined that the club had relied on a “Disguised Funding Scheme” and “sham contracts” to inflate its revenue by more than £900m between 2009 and 2018.
Before determining whether further disciplinary steps are required, the FA will wait for the appeal to finish. Under Premier League regulations, that process is expected to conclude by the end of January. In the meantime, the governing body is following the case closely.
The FA may also impose sanctions on individuals shown to have breached regulations or behaved dishonestly, conduct that the commission found had occurred.
Although the identities of the relevant individuals were removed from the 40-page main judgment released this week, the FA could request a complete version from the Premier League.
In its statement, the FA said the independent commission’s findings could have serious consequences for the integrity of football. It added that the ruling and its wider effects were being reviewed carefully and that action would be taken when justified.
The organisation declined to provide further details while the case involving the Premier League and Manchester City remains unresolved, but confirmed that it will continue watching developments.
The FA normally allows disciplinary cases handled by competitions such as the Premier League or EFL to conclude before beginning any separate proceedings.
In July, Chelsea received a £10m fine and a suspended two-window transfer restriction after admitting 74 violations of rules governing agents. That punishment followed a £10.75m Premier League fine issued four months earlier over the same misconduct, which involved improper payments to players and representatives.
The FA can pursue cases against individuals as well as clubs. However, it chose not to do so over the Chelsea violations because the people concerned no longer hold positions in football.
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert was charged with misconduct by the FA over his involvement in the Spygate controversy concerning Middlesbrough during the summer. A disciplinary hearing was held last month, and the German coach could face a lengthy suspension from football.
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