Man City Owners Could be Asked to Step Aside Amid Financial Breaches Ruling

· GiveMeSport

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 financial breaches, and the club's owners could face huge consequences.

Manchester City 's owners and senior chiefs could be asked to step down if the 'nuclear option' is activated by the government's Independent Football Regulator. City have been plunged into chaos after being found guilty by an independent panel on 114 of the 115 charges they faced relating to financial breaches.

We still don't know the punishment City will receive for the breaches, with plenty of possibilities discussed, including a possible points deduction, relegation, fines and the stripping of titles . It will likely take time for the punishment to come down the pipe, with an appeal process also expected to play out, but one would imagine possible punishments have already been discussed in anticipation of the ruling going in favour of the Premier League.

Man City continue to maintain their innocence, denying all charges, and they will appeal the decision.

But in a fresh blow for City, talkSPORT have reported that the government's Independent Football Regulator could call for the club's owners and senior chiefs to step aside. The regulator has already announced its own version of the Premier League's owners' and directors' test this year.

A statement at the time read: "Good owners, running clubs effectively, will experience minimal impact. However, if the IFR has concerns about the suitability of an incumbent, it will be able to take action."

That statement suggests City could come into the crosshairs of those IFR concerns if they are ultimately deemed to have broken so many rules. Although it is unlikely any of this will come into play until the appeal process has concluded.

Meanwhile, the same report claims Premier League clubs do not expect to see City stripped of any titles, with a fine and a points deduction the most likely outcome. All Premier League clubs were said to have been informed of the ruling when it was decided on Friday.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham had the following to say on the idea of stripping City of the titles they won during the period of the charges:

> "I would have to look at the report of the independent commission, and people shouldn't jump to those kinds of conclusions.

> "I know it has been a long process between the club and the Premier League, quite a contested process.

> "I don't think its quite as simple as jumping to conclusions. l think we would all need to study the report of the independent commission in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions."

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