Every Premier League club "would get a slice" of Man City’s world-record fine for breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations "under plans being drawn up by European football’s governing body," according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. Even relegated Norwich City, Fulham and Cardiff City "would receive their cut" of what could end up being £50M ($84M) surrendered by Man City. UEFA President Michel Platini and General Secretary Gianni Infantino "plan talks" with the European Club Association Chair Karl-Heinz Rummenigge "to discuss precisely how to redistribute the fines levied from the FFP sanctions announced last week." Platini and Infantino want what is a pot worth up to £114.5M ($191M) "to be shared not only among all 237 clubs competing in Europe this season and next but also teams in domestic leagues affected by their rivals’ overspending." That "would apply to five countries, including England, meaning a total of around 300 clubs stand to benefit from the transgressions of City, Paris St Germain and seven other sides." If the money is distributed evenly, the most any team "could hope to receive is approximately" £380,000 ($639,000).(TELEGRAPH, 5/20).
UEFA WINS CHALLENGE: In London, David Conn reported UEFA "has defeated a legal challenge" to its FFP rules, "which have been upheld by the European Commission."The rules "were challenged last year by Daniel Striani, a players’ agent registered in Belgium." Striani, represented by a Belgian lawyer, Jean-Louis Dupont, argued that the regulations "would restrict investment in clubs, lock in the power of big clubs by preventing others indulging in huge spending and dampen down players’ wage and transfer fee inflation." In a letter sent to Striani, copied to UEFA, the EC "rejected the complaint, saying it does not intend to investigate it any further." It argued that the FFP "apply to clubs, not to players’ agents, and therefore Striani has no legitimate interest in complaining about them" (GUARDIAN, 5/20).
FAIRNESS QUESTIONED: In London, James Ducker wrote Man City Chair Khaldoon al-Mubarak said UEFA's FFP rules "favoured the extablished elite" and questioned why a club with "zero debts" would be punished. Al-Mubarak said his club's financial model "would be handsomely vindicated in time." He said, “We have zero debts. We don’t pay a penny to service any debt. For me, that is a sustainable model. However, our friends in Uefa seem to believe otherwise" (LONDON TIMES, 5/21).
