UEFA fines 9 clubs involved in Super League project

Admin l Friday, May 07, 2021

 

NYON, Swtizerland – Football governing body in Europe, UEFA has sanctioned 9 of the 12 clubs involved the aborted Super League Project. The 9 clubs were fined after they were accepted for reintegration into UEFA. The football governing body also resolved that the matter of the other clubs involved in the so-called “Super League” will be referred to the competent UEFA disciplinary bodies.

The 9 clubs seeking reintegration, are Arsenal FC, AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Club Atlético de Madrid, FC Internazionale Milano, Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, Manchester United FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Those nine clubs acknowledge and accept that the Super League project was a mistake and apologise to fans, national associations, national leagues, fellow European clubs and UEFA. They have also recognised that the project would not have been authorised under UEFA Statutes and Regulations.

In particular, each club unreservedly acknowledges and accepts the binding nature of the UEFA Statutes; remains committed to and will participate in any UEFA Club Competitions each season for which that club qualifies on sporting merit; will rejoin the European Club Association, which is the only representative body for clubs that UEFA recognizes; will take all steps within their power with a view to terminate their involvement in the company established to form and operate the Super League and cease any existing related legal actions.

As a gesture of goodwill, and together with the other clubs,  will make a donation totalling an aggregate of €15 million, to be used for the benefit of children, youth and grassroots football in local communities across Europe, including the UK; they will be subject to the withholding of 5% of the revenues they would have received from UEFA club competitions for one season, which will be redistributed; they agree to have substantial fines imposed if they seek to play in such an unauthorised competition (€100 million) or if they breach any other commitment they have entered into in the Club Commitment Declaration (€50 million); they will provide individual commitments to UEFA in which all the principles and values set out in the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between UEFA and the European Club Association are accepted.

The  clubs  also restated their  full commitment to the new post-2024 Horizon reforms.  Reacting to the development, The UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin reacted this way. “I said at the UEFA Congress two weeks ago that it takes a strong organisation to admit making a mistake especially in these days of trial by social media. These clubs have done just that. In accepting their commitments and willingness to repair the disruption they caused, UEFA wants to put this chapter behind it and move forward in a positive spirit. The measures announced are significant, but none of the financial penalties will be retained by UEFA. They will all be reinvested into youth and grassroots football in local communities across Europe, including the UK. These clubs recognised their mistakes quickly and have taken action to demonstrate their contrition and future commitment to European football. The same cannot be said for the clubs that remain involved in the so-called ‘Super League’ and UEFA will deal with those clubs subsequently”, he said.