Source:REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, the Premier League officially announced that Chelsea has been fined £10.75 million over historical financial issues, with a nine-month transfer ban for its academy teams and a one-year first-team transfer ban, suspended for two years. Reports state that the Premier League has concluded disciplinary proceedings against Chelsea Football Club over historical breaches relating to financial reporting and third-party investment. In 2022, Chelsea’s current owners voluntarily reported to the league that they had uncovered evidence of potential breaches of Premier League rules. Based on the Premier League’s investigation findings, undisclosed payments were confirmed to have been made by third parties connected to the club to players, unregistered agents and other third parties between 2011 and 2018. These payments were not disclosed to football regulatory bodies, including the Premier League, at the time. When determining the appropriate sanctions, the Premier League Board noted that the club’s voluntary self-reporting throughout the investigation, admission of the breaches and exceptional cooperation constituted significant mitigating factors.
The editor believes that these payments were made for the benefit of Chelsea Football Club and should be regarded as payments made by the club itself. The club has also admitted that, among other things, making such payments and failing to disclose them to the league constituted a breach of its obligation to act in good faith towards the league.