Etihad Says Premier League Findings Harmed Airline Despite Not Naming It.
Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways said it will seek appropriate legal advice to assess the options and remedies available to safeguard its interests, following the Premier League’s publication of findings involving Manchester City Football Club.
In a statement to Gulf News on Wednesday, the Abu Dhabi-based airline said it “categorically rejects” any finding, conclusion or suggestion that it had participated in improper commercial arrangements.
The response came after an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations spanning nine seasons.
Etihad said the Premier League’s public presentation of the findings had resulted in what it described as “damaging implications” for the airline, even though Etihad was not identified by name in the redacted version of the commission’s published decision.
The airline said it was not contacted or consulted by the Premier League during the process connected to the commission’s consideration of the case. As a result, Etihad said it had no opportunity to participate in the proceedings, submit information it considered relevant, or address the accuracy and fairness of material used in reaching conclusions that could subsequently be interpreted as reflecting negatively on the airline.
The Premier League announced on Tuesday that the independent commission had found Manchester City guilty of all charges concerning serious breaches of its financial rules between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons. The club was also found guilty of three of four alleged breaches relating to its co-operation with the league’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent commission concluded that Manchester City had used what it described as “sham” commercial agreements with sponsors as part of arrangements that overstated revenue and lowered costs by more than £900 million over the period examined.
The league said the commission also concluded that Manchester City had submitted misstated accounts and failed to disclose the full picture of its finances to auditors and football regulators. According to the Premier League, accurately reporting the relevant agreements would have resulted in the club exceeding applicable spending limits by a significant amount.
Etihad, a commercial partner of Manchester City since 2009, expressed concern over the way the commission’s findings had been presented publicly.
The airline said the absence of sufficient clarity and transparency, combined with what it characterised as selective disclosure of information, had created negative implications for Etihad despite the company not being identified in the published decision. It also said the Premier League should take responsibility for the consequences arising from the way the findings were communicated.
The Premier League has said that, at this stage, it is permitted to publish only a redacted version of the commission’s core findings. Further appendices are expected to be released when publication is permitted, while the disciplinary process remains ongoing.
Manchester City has the right to appeal the commission’s findings and has until October 2 to do so, according to the Premier League. Any potential sanction will be determined separately at a further hearing, which will remain private until details are cleared for publication.
Despite the dispute surrounding the findings, Etihad said its relationship with Manchester City remains strong.
Etihad reaffirmed its support for Manchester City, describing its long-running partnership with the club as a source of pride and saying its commitment to the team, its supporters and their broader relationship remains firm.
The airline added that it would continue to support Manchester City as the club contests the commission’s findings through the procedures available to it.
The Premier League had not immediately responded to Etihad’s statement, Reuters reported.
