- UEFA overturns ban on Manchester City
- City had been banned from Europe for two years for breaching Financial Fair Play
- Mental Health and Psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic
Manchester City has been cleared to play in next season’s Champions League by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
City was banned from European competition for the next two years for breaching Financial Fair play rules back in February.
The Court of Arbitration for Sports ruled that City had breached club licensing and financial fair play regulations.
The club would then lodge an appeal against the ruling – an appeal that was heard on Monday morning.
City launched an appeal against the February decision amid speculation that the punishment could potentially lose the club £170million in revenue.
In a statement, UEFA ruled:
UEFA takes note of the decision taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reduce the sanction imposed on Manchester City FC by UEFA’s independent Club Financial Control Body for alleged breaches of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations.
UEFA notes that the CAS panel found that there was insufficient conclusive evidence to uphold all of the CFCB’s conclusions in this specific case and that many of the alleged breaches were time-barred due to the 5 year time period foreseen in the Uefa regulations. Over the last few years, Financial Fair Play has played a significant role in protecting clubs and helping them become financially sustainable and Uefa and ECA remain committed to its principles.
UEFA will be making no further comments on the matter.
UEFA takes note of the decision taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reduce the sanction imposed on Manchester City FC…
— UEFA (@UEFA) July 13, 2020
City welcomed the decision stating that: “Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the club welcomes the implications of today’s ruling as a validation of the club’s position and the body of evidence that it was able to present.”
“The club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered.”