In a leaked ɾєρօɾτ obtained by the makers of a YouTube film (indepєɴԀently verified byThe Times) aboutManchester City’s finances, the club has been accused of receiving £30 million in payments from a mystery figure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
UEFA produced the ɾєρօɾτ in 2020 but never published. The ɾєρօɾτ alleges that the payments made in 2012 and 2013 were to cover sums that were supposed to come from one of City’s main sponsors.
These payments are part of the115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rulesthat the FA used to charge Man City with in February.
According to the UEFA ɾєρօɾτ, the payments, claimed to be from the UAE’s state-owned telecommunications company Etisalat, were actually “disguised equity funding” coming from City’s owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG).
During a disciplinary hearing, City’s lawyer identified the person who made the payments as “Jaber Mohamed”. He described Mohamed as someone providing financial and brokering services to commercial entities in the UAE.
The ɾєρօɾτ questioned why Etisalat or ADUG would need financial assistance from a broker to pay sponsorship liabilities.
Man City argued that the money was repaid to their owners by Etisalat in 2015, but UEFA did not accept this exρłɑɴation.
In 2019, UEFA imposed a two-year European ban on the club, which the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned in 2020.
CAS ruled that they could not consider it due to time restrictions.
However, thePremier Leaguecan still address the Etisalat payments as part of their charges. They are not under the same time limitations.
Also, the charges against Manchester City include allegations of non-cooperation with investigations and failure to provide required documents over a five-season period from 2018 to 2023.
Under Premier League and UEFA financial rules, club owners have limits on equity funding but not sponsorship funding.
The ɾєρօɾτ states that City’s management was well aware that the payments made by Jaber Mohamed were actually equity funding and not genuine sponsorship liabilities.
Also, it suggests that City’s audited financial ȿτɑτємєɴτs overstated the club’s sponsorship revenue by including the full amount that Etisalat was supposed to pay.
The YouTube film, “Britain’s Biggest Football Scandal?,” released by Surise Media, explores City’s financial charges.
The filmmakes have remained anonymous and deny being funded by any Middle East state or agency.
However, Man City suspects potential geopolitical motives behind the film’s production due to political tensions in the Gulf region.
While the CAS ruling cleared City of receiving disguised equity funding via the Etihad airline, the Premier League’s investigation has noted additional leaked emails and documents published by Der Spiegel in April 2022.
The Premier League charges relate to nine seasons from 2009/10 to 2017/18.
Manchester City have chosen not to comment on the recent allegations. The Premier League investigation is ongoing. Further developments will be out in the coming months.
