Manchester City should face the “appropriate consequences” if wrongdoing is established, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Thursday as Downing Street sought to clarify the government’s position on the club’s financial case.
An independent commission found City guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules, covering nine seasons between 2009-10 and 2017-18. The club denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal the findings.
The comments came a day after Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, expressed concern about the possibility of City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners selling the club.
Burnham told the BBC that the owners had been “a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester” and had helped turn City into a global football force.
“I would be really concerned to lose them,” Burnham said.
His comments drew criticism from opposition politicians, with Shadow Sports Minister Louie French saying the government should keep politics out of football and allow the independent process to continue without outside influence.
Downing Street then stressed that the case remained independent and ongoing.
“As the prime minister made clear, the initial judgment is serious and there can’t be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules,” the spokesperson said.
“He also stressed that it is an ongoing independent process.”
“It is essential that it is allowed to run its course and the outcome respected. If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences.”
The commission found City guilty of using commercial arrangements that artificially inflated revenue and reduced costs by more than £900 million during the period under investigation. It also found the club guilty of three of four charges relating to its failure to co-operate with the Premier League investigation.
No sporting sanction has yet been imposed. The Premier League said the question of what punishment should follow remains to be decided separately.
City have maintained their innocence and said the commission’s findings contain legal and factual errors. The club faces a Friday deadline to lodge its appeal.
The case could lead to sanctions ranging from a financial penalty to points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League, although the eventual outcome will depend on the disciplinary and appeal processes.
