Man City accused of breaching financial rules

Manchester City have been referred to an independent commission over alleged breaches of Premier League finance rules, England’s top-flight soccer league said on Monday.

The breaches stretch from the 2009-10 season to the 2017-18 campaign, the league added. City were acquired by their Abu Dhabi-based owners, City Football Group, in 2008.

The club are alleged to have breached rules relating to the provision of accurate financial information, “in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs,” the league said.

The club are alleged to have not fully disclosed managerial remuneration in each of the seasons from 2009-10 to 2012-13.

City are also charged with failing to comply with Premier League’s rules requiring clubs to follow UEFA’s financial fair play regulations from the 2013-14 to 2017-18 seasons and failing to follow the Premier League’s rules on profit and sustainability from the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons.

“The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“The proceedings before the Commission will… be confidential and heard in private.

“The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice.”

City did not immediately respond to a request for comment.