Manchester City

The Premier League accused City, one of the most successful teams in soccer, with persistently breaking rules about reporting its revenues, sponsorships and ...

A judge ruled against City, and even chided the process that had allowed City to win multiple league titles as the case dragged on without resolution. The league is one of the world’s richest sporting competitions, and it is populated by a half-dozen more of the world’s most deep-pocketed teams — all of them chasing the same prizes as City every season. But last spring he revealed that he told the club’s management he would quit if what they had told him was found to be untrue. Bankrolled by one of the world’s richest men, the club appeared prepared to spend any sum to prevail. Unlike UEFA, the Premier League does not have a statute of limitations in its disciplinary regulations. No previous Premier League investigation has lasted as long as the current case against City, for example, nor has one produced allegations of wrongdoing spread over so many seasons. The club declared itself “surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches” and said that it had turned over a “vast amount of detailed materials.” Manchester City is accused of more than 100 violations, including failing to provide accurate financial information “that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”; not disclosing contractual payments to managers and players; and failing, as required, to cooperate with Premier League investigators. City has been a leading light over the past decade, with six championships since 2012, including four of the past five. But the City case is already unusual for a number of reasons. In effect, UEFA’s investigation had taken too long to consider the most serious offenses, the appeals panel found, and so the club escaped the harshest punishments levied against it. League officials declined to comment further on the statement or on the case against City.