Football regulator chair Kogan says he would resign over political interference in Man City case

Mixed · 2David Kogan, chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), said he would resign if the regulator came under political interference over the future of Manchester City. 1 2 Mixed · 2Kogan told BBC Sport that no politician had tried to influence the regulator, and said the Prime Minister was "entirely entitled to make his own observations on anything". 1 2 Centre · 1The comments followed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's remark last month that he would be "really concerned" if City's Abu Dhabi owners decided to sell. Burnham was criticised for it, and later denied that his reaction had "downplayed the seriousness of the findings". 1

Centre · 1BBC Sport said some Premier League clubs were "astonished" by Burnham's stance and, according to its sources, were concerned about political interference in the appeal process. It also said Burnham's earlier role as mayor of Greater Manchester had raised questions about his relationship with City's owners. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanded details of his meetings with senior club figures, and the government released them on Monday. 1 Mixed · 2An independent commission found City broke Premier League financial rules over nine years, from 2009 to 2018, using "sham" contracts with commercial partners to secretly channel more than £830m into the football operations. City say they are innocent and have appealed. 1 2 Centre · 1The commission's report said "a number of important club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects". City were found guilty of all charges except one, relating to non-cooperation with the Premier League investigation. 1

Mixed · 2Kogan said the IFR could not reach any conclusion until the appeal outcome is known, and that its action would follow a statutory process and legal advice. The IFR's powers concern individual owners, directors and senior executives and whether they can run a club safely and with probity. 1 2 Right · 1City A.M. reported that the regulator could disqualify City's owner, Sheikh Mansour, and force a sale. If he missed a deadline, a third party would take over the sale at a price City could not control. 2 Centre · 1Separately, the independent panel will hold a sanctions hearing that could take months to convene. Possible punishments range from a fine or points deduction to expulsion from the Premier League or loss of trophies, and City can appeal both the verdicts and the sanction. 1

Right · 1Kogan also said that if the IFR faced a long-running legal challenge from a wealthy owner, it would ask the government for extra financial support outside its levy-funded budget. Kogan said they did not expect a problem with the Treasury or the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). 2 Right · 1City A.M. noted that Kogan previously donated to the Labour leadership campaigns of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Keir Starmer. It also reported that Kogan and CEO Richard Monks were speaking at the launch of the draft State of the Game report. They said the regulator would take a broader, more proactive view of loopholes in clubs' financial rules, and that it would announce its levy plans next week. 2