Manchester City Guilty of Financial Breaches Charges Golden Threads

[Best]

Manchester City will claim that key sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club's owners, as part of their appeal.

Club owners Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - a private investment company belonging to United Arab Emirates vice-president and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour - was said to have topped up the value of commercial deals as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to the scale of £830.69m.

This, it was argued, enabled the club to appear to comply with Premier League and UEFA financial rules.

However, City are expected to tell an appeal board that they have evidence showing the money directed to sponsors came from the Abu Dhabi government, rather than from ADUG.

The independent commission rejected this argument as "untrue" in its findings, saying: "We concluded that it was an 'explanation' that the club had concocted well after the event in an attempt to obscure and conceal the realities of the disguised funding scheme."

City has claimed the commission's decision contained "clear material errors of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe".

Mansour is a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, and the brother of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. ADUG took over City in 2008. Premier League rules allow state-owned bodies to sponsor clubs.

 

[Legion]

The hacker who leaked the original documents/emails

 https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2105689948817101206

 

[Boot Cleaner]

Manchester City have lodged their appeal against the verdict delivered by the independent regulatory commission which found them guilty of almost all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

A new panel will be convened by the Premier League's judicial panel but the rules state that an appeal can only review the decision and not hold a full rehearing of the case.

The hearing must take place within twelve weeks of the appeal being lodged and a decision must be delivered within 30 days of the hearing's conclusion.

 

[Bob the Ninja]

Hadn't realised this Rui Pinto guy got the emails from City (that led to all this evidence) by sending a phishing link to City disguised as a UEFA financial compliance report

I wonder what his announcement is today. More City related stuff?

 

[Bob the Ninja]

Whatever you think of it/them, The Overlap is a great watch this week. Ornstein (who broke the story) and Paul Gilroy (legal expert) have really interesting insight. Gilroy is confident players could be legally allowed to rip up their contracts!