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Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United were among the clubs to provide witness evidence on behalf of the Premier League in their case with Manchester Cityover sponsorship rules.
City claimed that they have scored a landmark legal victory over the Premier League after an independent panel ruled that the competition’s regulations are unlawful. A stinging verdict from three retired judges said that rules designed to stop clubs from inflating deals with companies linked to their owners breach the Competition Act.
They specifically cited two offers from Etihad Airways and First Abu Dhabi bank that four-in-a-row champions City had rejected by the Premier League last year.
The arbitration panel ruled that the Premier League decision on both accounts was “procedurally unfair.” And a 175-page report outlined the divide between Premier League clubs over the issue. Witnesses called by City in the claim included officials at Chelsea, Everton and Newcastle United – though the identities of who exactly represented the clubs had been redacted.
The Premier League, meanwhile, called on an official from Brighton as a witness – with written statements supplied by figures from Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham.
Man City said in a statement: “The club has succeeded with its claim: the Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules have been found to be unlawful and the Premier League’s decisions on two specific MCFC sponsorship transactions have been set aside.
It added: “The Premier League was found to have abused its dominant position … the rules were found to be discriminatory in how they operate.” However, the Premier League argued that “the tribunal upheld the need for the APT system as a whole and rejected the majority of Manchester City’s challenges.
“Moreover, the tribunal found that the rules are necessary in order for the league’s financial controls to be effective.”
The Premier League and its clubs will hold a meeting next week, previously not on the books, to discuss the shape of the new rules.
The unrelated hearing into City’s 115 charges has entered its third week of an expected 10. A decision is unlikely to be made public until next spring at the earliest. – Mirror
Online Reporter