Uefa Ban Manchester City From European Competitions
Manchester City have been banned from European club competitions for two seasons after ‘serious breaches’ of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
The decision was made by the independent Adjudicatory Chamber of the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB), but will be subject to any appeal made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The CFCB said in a statement that the club was found to have been, “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016.” The adjudicatory chamber also said it has “found that in breach of the regulations, the club failed to cooperate in the investigation of this case by the CFCB.
In addition to the competition ban, City have also been fined €30m (£25m) by the body.
The club said in a statement: “Manchester City is disappointed but not surprised by the announcement by the UEFA Adjudicatory Chamber. The club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.
“In December 2018, the UEFA Chief Investigator publicly previewed the outcome and sanction he intended to be delivered to Manchester City, before any investigation had even begun. The subsequent flawed and consistently leaked UEFA process he oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver. The Club has formally complained to the UEFA Disciplinary body, a complaint which was validated by a CAS ruling.
“Simply put, this is a case initiated by UEFA, prosecuted by UEFA and judged by UEFA. With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.”
The Premier League champions are set to continue competing in this season’s Champions League, where they are set to face Real Madrid in the last 16 stage of the competition.
