Manchester City sent fresh message on 115 charges as Liverpool waits for verdict

Football supporters are very cynical about many aspects of the sport. It is easy for conspiracy theories to rise and fester, with fans believing that rules are not applied equally across the board.

The best example of this relates to the 115 charges levelled against Manchester City for alleged breaches of Premier League rules. Both Everton and Nottingham Forest received points deductions last season whereas City has yet to receive any punishment for what is a far more serious offence if found guilty.

Clearly the case faced by the club which has won six of the previous seven Premier League titles is far more complex than the relatively straight forward Profit and Sustainability Rule breaches from which the Blues and Forest were punished. Even so, a lack of transparency inevitably leads to suspicion from fans and Nick de Marco KC has explained why he believes sports tribunals should be held in public.

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He is a sports lawyer who has acted in disputes for over two decades and represented Forest in its recent PSR case, so certainly knows about such matters. De Marco has noted that when “decisions are made behind closed doors, with little communication or understanding of how they are made, suspicion can naturally arise.”

He was writing in Blackstone Chambers’ Sports Law Bulletin , arguing for greater publicity when it comes to cases such as the City one. “Publicity, from the publication of tribunal decisions to the ‘gold standard’ of public hearings, has always been, in my view, the most effective way to achieve fairness and probity,” de Marco stated. “Holding sports tribunals to account, under the spotlight of publicity, is just as important as holding courts to account, and sports tribunals are no less prone to bias, corruption or negligence than are judges.”

It is not yet entirely clear when the City tribunal will exactly take place, though it is expected later this year with a verdict expected in 2025. However, as the club has mounted a legal challenge against the Premier League in relation to associated-party transactions, the case relating to the 115 charges is very unlikely to run smoothly.

Liverpool.com says: Football fans will agree with de Marco’s sentiments. It is hard to have faith in the decisions that are made when everything is shrouded in mystery and not within the public realm. This doesn’t only relate to City and the charges against either. How are decisions regarding which club plays in the infamous 12:30 p.m. kick off arrived at, for instance?