Downing Street has issued a fresh statement on the Manchester City case, saying the club’s disciplinary process must be allowed to continue independently and that anyone found to have broken the rules should face the appropriate consequences.
The statement was released on Thursday after Prime Minister Andy Burnham was criticised for comments about Manchester City and its owners, which raised questions over whether the government could influence the case.
A No 10 spokesperson, quoted by BBC journalist Henry Zeffman, said: “As the Prime Minister made clear, the initial judgement is serious and there can’t be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules.”
The spokesperson added: “He also stressed that the independent process is ongoing. It is important to allow that to run its course and respect the outcome. If wrongdoing is established, those responsible must face appropriate consequences.”
Burnham had said on Wednesday that he would be “very concerned” if Manchester City’s Emirati owners decided to sell the club. He also praised the investment they had made since taking control in 2008.
At the same time, Burnham said he did not want to interfere in the disciplinary proceedings and pointed out that the case remained subject to an appeal. His comments attracted criticism from political and sporting figures, particularly because he previously served as mayor of Greater Manchester before becoming prime minister.
Critics also focused on his emphasis on the importance of the owners’ continued investment in the region.
The Premier League recently announced that an independent commission had found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to financial rule breaches over nine seasons between 2009-2010 and 2017-2018.
The club was also found guilty of three of four charges involving an alleged failure to co-operate with the investigation.
According to the Premier League, the commission concluded that Manchester City had used artificial commercial contracts as part of a scheme to inflate the club’s revenue and reduce its costs by more than £900m.
Appeal still to come
Manchester City rejected the commission’s findings and maintained its innocence. The club said it would appeal, arguing that there had been “fundamental errors” in law, principle and fact.
The appeal is the next stage of the case. It could be heard by a new three-person panel, although Manchester City does not have the right to take the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Recent reports suggest the proceedings could take several months. Until the appeal is concluded, potential sanctions and the wider sporting and legal consequences of the case remain unresolved.
