A member of UK parliament and lifelong Arsenal supporter Jeremy Corbyn has demanded that Manchester City be relegated from the Premier League following reports that the club has been found guilty on the majority of the 115 financial charges brought against it.
City were last week reported to have been found guilty of 114 of 115 charges after a four-year investigation and a 12-week independent commission hearing. No official sanction has been announced yet, but possible punishments include heavy fines, points deductions, expulsion, and relegation.
Corbyn, a prominent Arsenal fan, said City’s alleged breaches strike at the integrity of the competition and should carry a sporting punishment, not just a financial one.
The call mirrors sentiments from former City chairman David Bernstein, who said on talkSPORT that financial penalties alone would not suffice for a club with “limitless financial resources.”
“A fine of £100m or £200m would be inadequate,” Bernstein said. “There has to be a measure that impacts their league standing. A terminal points deduction of around 80 points would ensure the club could not recover this season and would subsequently be relegated.”
Under Premier League rules, the independent commission can impose a points deduction, recommend that league matches be replayed, recommend expulsion from the league, and order compensation.
The Premier League is yet to hold a sanction hearing. Manchester City have repeatedly stated they have irrefutable evidence to prove their innocence and are expected to appeal.
