Manchester City have been fined over £2M by the Premier League for 22 violations of kick-off rules during the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons, Soccernet.football reports.
The Premier League have announced that they have agreed on sanctions with City for repeatedly delaying the start of first and second halves without valid reasons.
The Citizens who won the title in both of those seasons, have acknowledged and apologized for the violations with a payment due within 14 days of the sanction agreement’s publication.
The Premier League said in a statement; “The Premier League and Manchester City FC have entered into a sanction agreement after the club accepted it had breached Premier League Rule L.33 relating to kick-off and re-start obligations.
“The breaches relate to a number of Premier League matches during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
“Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs. It also ensures the broadcast of all 380 League matches around the world is kept to schedule.
“Click here to read the sanction agreement. As required by the Premier League Rules, the sanction agreement has been ratified by three members of the Independent Judicial Panel.”
The rule in question set by the Premier League decrees: “Any Club which without good reason causes to be delayed either the kick-off of a League Match from the time fixed or the re-start after the half-time interval shall be dealt with under the provisions of Section W (Disciplinary) of these Rules.”