Soccer-Man City chairman rallies fans after reports club found guilty of 114 charges

FILE PHOTO: Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is seen before a match. Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 18, 2024. Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo

MANCHESTER, England, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Manchester ⁠City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said the club remained confident of proving their innocence, a day ⁠after media reports that City had been found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League ‌financial rules in the long-running case.

In an open letter to supporters on Saturday, Al Mubarak said the process was far from over and City's confidence in proving the club's innocence "is just as strong as when this began".

"Following Friday’s media reporting, many of you will have ​spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, ⁠family and colleagues. So have I," Al ⁠Mubarak said.

"Here’s what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to ⁠run, ‌and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began."

City, who have always denied any wrongdoing, are expected to appeal the decision of the independent panel ⁠in a case that has hung over English football for years.

A ​guilty verdict would rank among the ‌most significant rulings in the sport's history, raising far-reaching questions about financial regulation, competitive integrity and ⁠the league's ability to ​enforce its rules against one of its most successful clubs.

Al Mubarak said he was limited in what he can say about the case because of the strict confidentiality of the legal process.

"Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure ⁠it complies," he said.

"I ask you to please carefully read ​the statement ... which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023 ..." which he included in the open letter. "Every word matters and holds true."

The February 2023 statement said the club was surprised by the alleged ⁠breaches, "particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL (English Premier League) has been provided with.

"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."

City reiterated that statement on Friday.

The Premier League has declined ​to comment.

"It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all," a spokesperson said.

Al ⁠Mubarak asked for patience from supporters.

"While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is ​so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed," he said.

"We ‌have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain ​many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity."

(Reporting by Lori Ewing; additional reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Goa; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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资料照片：曼城主席哈尔杜恩·阿尔·穆巴拉克在赛前亮相。英国曼彻斯特伊蒂哈德球场 - 2024年9月18日。图片来源：路透社/李·史密斯/资料照片

英格兰曼彻斯特，9 月 26 日（路透社）——曼城主席哈尔杜恩·阿尔·穆巴拉克表示，俱乐部仍然有信心证明自己的清白。此前一天，媒体报道称，曼城在旷日持久的案件中被判犯有 114 项违反英超联赛财务规定的罪行。

周六，阿尔·穆巴拉克在一封致支持者的公开信中表示，这一过程远未结束，曼城证明俱乐部清白的信心“与事情开始时一样坚定”。

“周五媒体报道之后，你们中的许多人晚上都在忙着回答问题，回复朋友、家人和同事的信息。我也是如此，”穆巴拉克说。

“我对家人说：英超联赛的调查程序还有很长的路要走，我们证明俱乐部清白的信心和决心与一开始一样坚定。”

曼城一直否认有任何不当行为，预计他们将对独立小组的裁决提出上诉。这起案件多年来一直悬而未决，影响着英格兰足球。

如果罪名成立，这将是这项运动历史上最重大的判决之一，引发人们对财务监管、竞争诚信以及联盟是否有能力对其最成功的俱乐部之一执行规则的广泛质疑。

穆巴拉克表示，由于法律程序的严格保密性，他能谈论的案件内容有限。

他说：“就连这封信也经过了多次法律审查，以确保其符合规定。”

“请您仔细阅读我们在周五发表的声明，以及我们在2023年2月发布的声明……”他在公开信中写道，“每一个字都至关重要，句句属实。”

2023 年 2 月的声明称，俱乐部对所谓的违规行为感到惊讶，“特别是考虑到英超联赛已经获得了广泛的参与和大量的详细材料”。

“俱乐部欢迎由独立委员会对此事进行审查，以公正地审议支持其立场的大量无可辩驳的证据。”

市政府周五重申了这一声明。

英超联赛方面拒绝置评。

一位发言人表示：“这是一个保密程序，我们对此不予置评。”

穆巴拉克请求支持者们保持耐心。

“虽然有些人急于得出结论，而且我们周围充斥着各种各样的噪音，但一切都没有改变，”他说。

“我们之前就共同面对过挑战，并且都取得了胜利。现在仍然有很多人想要破坏我们俱乐部的发展势头。我们绝不会让他们得逞。”

（Lori Ewing报道；Pearl Josephine Nazare在果阿补充报道；Ken Ferris编辑）

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