Manchester City lose financial fair play appeal to prevent Uefa investigating allegations
Manchester City’s efforts to block a Uefa investigation into financial fair play violations have been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
City had asked CAS to throw out the case brought against the club by Uefa for allegedly breaching financial fair play rules.
But CAS has rejected City’s appeal and now the case is set to be heard by the adjudicatory chamber of Uefa’s Club Financial Control Board.
“CAS ruled that the appeal filed by Manchester City football club is inadmissible,” CAS general secretary Matthieu Reeb said.
Reigning back-to-back Premier League champions City lodged the appeal with CAS in June on the basis that there were not legitimate grounds for an investigation to take place.
But a three-man panel ruled in Uefa’s favour.
It means the governing body can now begin their probe into allegations that City breached FFP rules, which if found guilty, could result in expulsion from the Champions League.
Under the FFP rules, clubs are not allowed to spend more than the revenue they generate up to a specific amount.
But City are alleged to have used sponsorship money from their owners as a way around the rules, according to a report in Der Speigel.
It comes less than two weeks after English Premiership Rugby champions Saracens were handed a 35-point deduction and £5.4m fine for breaching salary cap regulations.
City have previously denied all allegations against them.
The verdict from Uefa’s investigation is expected to be announced next month, although the Athletic report that City will not be banned from the Champions League.