David Kogan warns IFR can force Man City sale if ruling stands

The chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), David Kogan, says the watchdog has “absolute power” to force a sale of Manchester City if its appeal is unsuccessful and the verdict is upheld.

Manchester City were found guilty by an independent commission of circumventing Premier League rules via “sham” commercial arrangements, aimed at inflating revenues or cutting costs by more than £900m over nine seasons. The commission also concluded the club made “concerted efforts” to “stop and frustrate” the Premier League’s investigation.

Appeal first, then decisions

As The Guardian reports, Kogan said it was premature to discuss any action while the appeal is ongoing. He did confirm that the IFR can ask an owner to step away from the club if they run it in a way that is not “fit, fair or done with propriety”. When asked whether an owner could refuse to divest, Kogan replied: “No… we’ve got absolute power.”

He added that the IFR would not jump to conclusions until all questions raised by the appeal are answered, before deciding whether to mount its own investigation. Kogan also pledged to resign if there is political interference in any IFR work.

The comments come as the UK accounting watchdog faces fresh scrutiny on City’s finances. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said it assumed “regulatory consideration” on 30 September, examining the commission’s findings and making “preliminary enquiries” to assess whether there are grounds for a formal investigation.