The Premier League remained bullish after a tribunal ruled its sponsorship rules between 2001 and 2024 were “void and unenforceable” in an ongoing legal battle with Manchester City.
Last year, City took the top flight to a tribunal over its associated party transaction rules (APT) – the regulations in place determining what is permitted in commercial deals between clubs and companies under the same ownership.
The tribunal ruled last October that three parts of the APT rules were unlawful and the conclusions, which emerged on Friday night, state: “There now arises for decision the question whether those three respects can be severed from the remaining APT rules so that those remaining APT rules are valid and enforceable.
“The three respects in which the APT rules and amended APT rules were unlawful cannot be severed with the result that the APT rules as a whole are void and unenforceable.”
The Premier League insisted in a statement that “this decision expressly does not impact the valid operation of the new rules”.
The statement said: “The tribunal’s decision has found that the three narrow aspects of the old APT rules, previously found to be unlawful, cannot be separated from the rest of the previous rules as a matter of law.
“The result, the tribunal has determined, is that the previous APT Rules, as a whole, are unenforceable.
“However, the previous APT rules are no longer in place, as clubs voted new APT rules into force in November 2024.
“The tribunal has made no findings as to the validity and effectiveness of the new rules.
“The tribunal states that whether its decision has any benefit to the club, therefore, depends on whether the new APT rules are found to be lawful as part of the second challenge issued by the club last month.
“The league continues to believe that the new APT rules are valid and enforceable and is pressing for an expeditious resolution of this matter.”
As a consequence of City’s lawsuit, interest accrued on loans to clubs from owners is set to be included in financial rule limits.
In a separate hearing, City await the verdict of an independent commission into the 130 charges for alleged financial breaches the league issued against the reigning champions.
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