In a bold stance, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has reaffirmed the organization’s decision to ban Manchester City from all European competitions for two years in 2020, citing the breach of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Despite the ban being overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Ceferin stands firm in his belief that UEFA’s initial sanction was justified.
The controversy stemmed from UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body finding City guilty of falsely inflating sponsorship revenues between 2012 and 2016. In response, UEFA imposed a two-year ban and a €30 million fine on the Premier League champions. However, CAS later overturned the ban and reduced the fine to €10 million, sparking widespread debate within the football community.
Ceferin, drawing on his extensive experience as a trial lawyer, expressed confidence in UEFA’s decision, asserting, “We know we were right. We wouldn’t decide if we didn’t think we were right.” Despite acknowledging the unpredictability of legal outcomes, he emphasized the importance of respecting the court’s decision within a democratic system.
Addressing the outcome, Ceferin refrained from delving into the specific case in England but conveyed trust in the correctness of the independent body’s decision. With unwavering conviction, he stated, “I trust that the decision of our independent body was correct. I didn’t enter into this decision.”
The saga surrounding Manchester City’s ban from the Champions League continues to resonate across the global football landscape, serving as a testament to the intricacies of financial regulations in the sport and the consequential impact of legal proceedings on top-tier clubs.
