Who makes up the independent Premier League commission investigating Manchester City and Chelsea?

Both Manchester City and Chelsea are under investigation by an independent panel commissioned by the Premier League for allegedly breaking financial rules that all clubs are obliged to follow. Here is all the latest information on the two cases, as well as who makes up the panel.

Both clubs are being investigated for various financial rule breaches that stretch back well over a decade. They include things such as various payments that were not declared, misleading regulators and fundamentally how they have funded their success over the past years, with the two clubs winning a combined 10 Premier League titles since 2009.

Why are Manchester City under investigation?

The current Premier League title holders are under investigation for an alleged breach of over 100 financial rules between 2009 and 2018. These breaches include things such as manager payments and misleading regulators about revenue from both sponsorship income and operating costs.

“In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club (Club) to a Commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4″ a statement from the Premier League said on February 6, 2023.

A statement from Manchester City replied that the club were “surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League rules... The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

UEFA gave Manchester City a two-year ban from European competition in light of this revelation, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned it after an appeal. Though the club will be able to appeal the decision when it eventually comes out, it will not, unlike like time, be able to be handed over to CAS.

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Why are Chelsea under investigation?

Chelsea are being investigated for the period when Roman Abramovich, Russian Oligarch and their former owner, was in charge. According the The Guardian, “leaked files revealed a string of secret payments that may have breached strict football rules” that were “worth tens of millions of pounds over a decade, routed through offshore vehicles belonging to Abramovich”.

Cases involving players such as Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o and Willian are also under investigation. Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022 soon saw Abramovich placed under sanctions by the UK, a move which forced him to sell the club to BlueCo.

Chelsea’s new owners immediately brought around another case of financial rule-breaking: when they joined the club, they made the Premier League aware that “incomplete financial information” had been handed in during part of Abramovich’s tenure from 2012-19.

UEFA fined Chelsea just over £8 million ($10m) for the admission but their powers were restricted as, like with the Manchester City case, their investigation could not stretch back far enough. This case is still under investigation by the independent panel and is not time-barred.

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Who is on the independent panel for the investigation?

The independent commission is formed of three members who will all be chosen to form part of the group by Murray Rosen KC, the chair of the Premier League’s judicial panel. There are a total of 15 members on the judicial panel and any of them can be selected, as well as non-members, if desired.