MX23RW : Monday, June 15 05:03:33| >> :120:21736:21736:

Manchester City to learn outcome of European ban appeal before next season

Manchester City to learn outcome of European ban appeal before next season
© Reuters
The Premier League champions were punished for breaches of UEFA's financial fair play regulations.

Manchester City and UEFA will know the outcome of the club's appeal against a two-year European competition ban before the start of the 2020-21 season.

A ruling on the matter is expected in the first half of July from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, when the restarted 2019-20 Premier League season should still be in action, coronavirus pandemic permitting.

CAS said the exact date of the decision would be communicated in advance.

A statement from the Lausanne-based court said the conduct of the hearing, which took place via video conferencing, had met with the "satisfaction" of both parties.

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has described the process which led to their European suspension as
Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has described the process which led to their European suspension as "flawed" (Mike Egerton/PA)

CAS confirmed the arbitrators who heard the appeal were Rui Botica Santos from Portugal, Professor Ulrich Haas of Germany and Andrew McDougall from France.

The Premier League champions were sanctioned by the adjudicatory chamber of UEFA's club financial control body in February for a breach of financial fair play (FFP) regulations, with the ban accompanied by a fine of 30 million euros (just under £27million).

The CFCB concluded City had committed a "serious" breach of club licensing and FFP rules by "overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016", adding that the club "failed to co-operate in the investigation".

City immediately indicated their intention to appeal against what they said was a "flawed and consistently leaked process".

The investigation followed claims in German magazine Der Spiegel, based on leaked documents, that City's owner Sheikh Mansour was topping up the value of sponsorship agreements, in breach of FFP rules. City denied the magazine's claims.

The timing of the announcement will allow more certainty for both sides in the dispute in terms of preparations for next season.

The club sought to have the FFP investigation halted while it was in progress, but CAS ruled in November last year that that appeal was "inadmissible" because at that stage the CFCB had not determined what, if any, sanctions City should face.

City argued in that initial appeal, in court documents released earlier this year, that the decision of the CFCB's investigatory chamber to refer the case to the adjudicatory chamber had been taken "improperly and prematurely".

They also said UEFA had breached confidentiality during the probe, alleging that journalists were being briefed by people with knowledge of the case.

CAS did find that City's initial appeal was "not without merit" and that the alleged leaks were "worrisome".

ID:402034:

Manchester City banned from Europe - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Manchester City

Share this article now:
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba pictured in December 2019
Read Next:
Project Restart: What to expect when the Premier League returns
>
Latest Sports Video
Did you know...?
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.

rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29271166214582
2Manchester CityMan City28183768313757
3Leicester CityLeicester29165858283053
4Chelsea29146951391248
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd29129844301445
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29101364134743
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd28111073025543
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs29118104740741
9Arsenal2891364036440
10Burnley29116123440-639
11Crystal Palace29109102632-639
12Everton29107123746-937
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2998122541-1635
14Southampton29104153552-1734
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29611123240-829
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2976163550-1527
17Watford2969142744-1727
18Bournemouth2976162947-1827
19Aston Villa2874173456-2225
20Norwich CityNorwich2956182552-2721

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!