Manchester City have been warned that the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) could assess the suitability of the club’s owners, directors and senior executives following the independent commission’s finding that the club committed 115 financial breaches.
David Kogan, chair of the IFR, said the commission’s ruling raised “very serious questions” and confirmed that the regulator could use its powers if clear evidence emerged of wrongdoing by individuals.
The IFR’s role is to protect the sustainability, integrity and safety of English football. Kogan said any action would depend on whether the available evidence justified intervention.
“The independent commission’s judgment raises very serious questions,” Kogan said in a statement published by Spanish newspaper Marca.
“We have the power to assess the suitability of club owners, directors and senior executives, and we will use that power when appropriate, in the interests of protecting the sustainability, integrity and safety of English football, if there is clear evidence of misconduct by individuals.”
Kogan added that the regulator would consider the work already carried out by the Premier League as part of its investigation into Manchester City.
“This includes taking into account what the Premier League has investigated,” he said. “However, since the proceedings between Manchester City and the Premier League are still ongoing, we will await further developments. We hope the matter will be resolved soon for the fans.”
The Independent Football Regulator was established after the announcement of the European Super League project, with the aim of helping to prevent similar crises from occurring in the future.
Among its responsibilities is examining the conduct and financial position of club owners to establish whether they represent a threat to the integrity of football competitions.
Manchester City maintain their innocence
Manchester City have until Friday to appeal against the commission’s ruling. The club continues to deny the allegations and says it possesses conclusive evidence to support its position.
The club’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, has previously described the case as being based on a “false accusation”. He has also accused the Premier League of relying on “conspiracy theories”.
The IFR’s comments come while the legal proceedings between Manchester City and the Premier League remain unresolved. As a result, any potential assessment of the suitability of the club’s owners, directors or executives will depend on further developments and the final outcome of the case.
