Manchester City, Premier League welcome panel ruling on sponsorship deals

Four-time defending champion City legally challenged the league's Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules, which are intended to safeguard the "competitive balance" of the world's most popular football league

In Short

• Manchester City claims victory as arbitration finds Premier League's APT rules unlawful
• City argues the league abused its position, while the Premier League cites the rules as necessary
• The tribunal's findings come amid City's ongoing battle against over 100 financial breach charges

Manchester City and the Premier League were both claiming victory on Monday after the conclusion of the first of two high-profile clashes between the pair. Four-time defending champion City legally challenged the league's Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules, which are intended to safeguard the “competitive balance” of the world's most popular football league.

Both City and the league said they “welcomed” the findings of an arbitration panel. City said the rules had been found to be “unlawful” and that the league had “abused its dominant position.”

"The Club has succeeded with its claim: the Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules have been found to be unlawful and the Premier League’s decisions on two specific MCFC sponsorship transactions have been set aside. The Tribunal found that both the original APT rules and the current, (amended) APT Rules violate UK competition law and violate the requirements of procedural fairness. The Premier League was found to have abused its dominant position," City said in a statement.

The Premier League, however, said the tribunal had found the rules to be “necessary” and had “rejected the majority of Manchester City’s challenges.”

The findings of the tribunal were published on Monday. They came at a time when City is also facing more than 100 charges of alleged financial breaches. (With Inputs from AP).