The head of England’s football regulator, David Kogan, said on Tuesday he would step down if political pressure influenced any possible sanctions against Manchester City. The club has been found guilty of widespread breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, a finding that could lead to a heavy fine, points deductions or even expulsion from the top flight.
An independent panel concluded that the club, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, artificially inflated its revenue by more than $1bn over almost ten years in order to get around fair-play rules. Kogan said the regulator was still waiting for the outcome of City’s appeal against the verdict.
Kogan rejects claims of political influence
Asked whether the regulator could stay independent given wider relations between the two governments, Kogan said any political interference in how the body operates would lead him to resign. “We’ve come under absolutely no political pressure whatsoever on this or any other topic,” he added, saying he did not expect that to change.
His remarks followed comments from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said he would be “really concerned” to lose City’s current ownership. Burnham also said he would not become directly involved in the process.
Allegations over club finances from 2009 to 2018
City is accused of providing misleading information about its finances across a nine-year period running from 2009 to 2018. During those years the club won three titles and signed some of the world’s best players, and it then enjoyed a stretch of dominance that was unprecedented in English football.
The verdict is described as the biggest scandal in Premier League history and has raised questions about the club’s future. City is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE deputy prime minister and a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family.
How licensing and the appeal could affect City
The Independent Football Regulator, set up by the UK government last year, has the power to force owners to sell and can withhold a licence to operate if owners are judged unfit. Its licensing of clubs, part of its governance role in English football, will begin from November.
Kogan suggested the guilty finding would not affect a licence decision for City while its appeal is ongoing. He said that once a verdict has gone through the appeal process, it would clearly be considered when deciding on a licence or when assessing the club’s owners, directors and senior executives.
