English FA promises action over Manchester City case

The English Football Association has issued a statement on the Manchester City case, in which the club faces the prospect of a historic sanction. The Independent Commission found 114 of the 115 alleged breaches proven, but proceedings are continuing: Manchester City has until Friday to make its representations.

The case centres in part on allegedly illegal sponsorship deals and a system that is said to have presented money from its owners, Abu Dhabi United Group, as commercial revenue for the club. The sums involved were reportedly about €900 million and are said to have helped build the team that excelled in recent seasons. With the proceedings still ongoing, any sanction remains a possibility, not a decision already handed down.

After several prominent figures in English football had spoken out in recent days, the FA issued its statement ahead of the Nations League match between England and Croatia. It stressed the decision’s significance for football while saying it would make no further comment during the proceedings.

“The Independent Commission’s decision has important implications for the integrity of the game. We are carefully reviewing the decision and its consequences, and will take the appropriate measures,” the FA said. It added that it would continue to monitor developments closely.