Manchester City’s recent fine of just over £2m by the Premier League has sparked significant attention and debate across the football community. The club was penalized for breaching rules related to kick-off and re-starts after half-time of matches, with a staggering 22 separate breaches occurring over the last two seasons. These breaches were distributed unevenly, with eight taking place during the 2022/23 campaign and 14 occurring in the previous season. City has publicly acknowledged the breaches and has agreed to pay the substantial £2.09m fine to the Premier League, signaling their commitment to upholding the league’s regulations.
In response to the infractions, the club has taken proactive measures by reminding both the players and football management teams of their responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of adhering to established rules and guidelines.
It is crucial to note that this issue is distinct from the 115 charges Manchester City is currently facing for alleged breaches of the competition’s financial regulations. As part of the repercussions for the kick-off and re-start violations, the club has been subject to a sliding scale of penalties for each offense. The total delay of 39 minutes and 52 seconds across 23 late kick-offs in 22 games over the last two seasons resulted in fines ranging from £10,000 to £200,000.
A statement from the Premier League read: “The Premier League and Manchester City FC have entered into a sanction agreement after the club accepted it had breached Premier League Rule L.33 relating to kick-off and re-start obligations.
“The breaches relate to a number of Premier League matches during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
“Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organisation of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs.
“It also ensures the broadcast of all 380 League matches around the world is kept to schedule.
“As required by the Premier League Rules, the sanction agreement has been ratified by three members of the Independent Judicial Panel.”
The severity of the fines reflects the varying degrees of delay, with the longest delay of two minutes and 46 seconds occurring at the start of the final game of the season against West Ham last season, coinciding with City clinching a fourth successive title.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of ongoing investigations by the Premier League into alleged financial irregularities involving Manchester City. The club has been charged with 115 alleged breaches of the league’s financial rules following a comprehensive four-year investigation. According to the Premier League, these alleged rule violations span over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018, during which Manchester City secured the league title three times.
The allegations include claims that the club did not provide accurate financial information and failed to fully disclose financial remunerations made to one of their managers over a significant four-year period. Additionally, the Premier League asserts that Manchester City did not comply with UEFA’s financial fair play rules over a five-year period, as well as alleging a lack of full cooperation with the investigation.
In response, Manchester City has vehemently denied these allegations, setting the stage for a complex and high-stakes legal and regulatory process.
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