'Lazy' Man City charges claim rebuffed as Premier League punishment wait continues amid appeal

A sport integrity expert has emphasized that delays in publishing Manchester City's punishment for violating the Premier League's financial regulations are not because decision-makers are 'lazy'. Back in September, it was confirmed that City had been found guilty of nearly all of the Premier League charges brought against them.

The independent panel determined City had intended to breach financial rules by inflating revenues or reducing costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion at the current exchange rate), through a series of 'sham' arrangements. City have appealed the decision and have maintained their innocence.

As the appeal process unfolds, City fans have anxiously been awaiting their club's punishment. Given the volume of charges and the unprecedented nature of the case, several 'likely' sanctions have been discussed including; substantial points deductions, transfer bans, expulsion from the Premier League, and fines.

But speaking to the Press Association, co-founder and global chief executive of Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros stressed the priority must be for justice to be served, rather than for a swift outcome to be achieved, as per the Manchester Evening News .

"I understand the fans' frustration, and I understand also the fans' anguish, especially those who follow and support Manchester City," he said.

"This is not a pleasant situation for anybody, but the law is the law, and it must be served on its own time, without constraints. Being a lawyer, I know that justice sometimes is served slowly. That is not because those who are in charge of the procedures are lazy, or they neglect their duties. It's because there cannot be room for doubt. There cannot be room for failure.

"There cannot be any breach of the constitutional rights that those who are being scrutinised or judged enjoy. But I think it's fair to say that the process is coming to an end."

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The verdict determined that City operated a 'disguised funding scheme' whereby Abu Dhabi-based companies contributed only a portion of the figures recorded in the club's accounts, with the remaining balance covered by Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), the vehicle through which Sheikh Mansour holds ownership of the club. This arrangement was found to have artificially inflated revenues by more than £830 million ($1.1 billion) across the nine-season stretch between 2009-10 and 2017-18.

City were additionally found to have overstated image rights income by almost £74 million ($98.8 million), and understated staff contract liabilities by almost £17 million ($22.7 million). In response, the Blues maintained the ruling contained 'clear material errors of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe'.

Club CEO Ferran Soriano addressed staff via video, asserting that the panel had sided with the Premier League's 'conspiracy theory'.