Soccer-Premier League CEO Masters pleads for patience in Man City case
(Reuters) -Premier League chief executive Richard Masters defended the league's judicial process on Wednesday amid criticism over the slow pace of Manchester City's disciplinary case involving 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches.
Speaking at a Premier League season launch event in Liverpool, Masters said that once charges are brought forward, the matter is handed over to an independent panel, which operates autonomously.
"It's an independent judiciary essentially," Masters told Sky Sports. "They are then in charge of the process and its timings. They hear the case, they decide the outcome and we have no influence over it or its timing."
Masters refrained from speculating on when a decision might be reached, but acknowledged the frustration surrounding lengthy legal processes.
"My frustration is irrelevant really, I just have to wait. Legal processes rarely take less time than you anticipated. But we have to be patient," he said.
Masters also addressed speculation around staging Premier League matches abroad, after LaLiga's plan for a game between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami receivedapproval from the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Monday.
He said the controversial "Game 39" concept of an extra competitive match hosted outside of Britain remained off the table.
"I think that (LaLiga)match that's been talked about, there's a long road to go yet about whether that will actually happen," Masters said.
"It hasn't changed our view about matches abroad. We did look at the 39th game way back when with lots of controversy... Our objective at the time was how to grow the Premier League around the world. We've been able to do that through different means," he said.
Masters also responded to concerns over the competitiveness of newly promoted clubs, after all three teams relegated last season - Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton - had only just come up.
The same thing happened in the 2023-24 campaign when Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United returned to the second-tier after only one season in the top-flight.
Masters pointed to success stories like Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Fulham, who were promoted for the 2022-23 season and are "performingextremely well in the Premier League three years later".
"It's never going to be easy... The Premier League is becoming more competitive. The Championship is a fantastic division. We want it to be successful. We want there to be an influx of different clubs coming in and out. So it's something we need to keep an eye on."
Masters also confirmed that the newly established independent football regulator is expected to begin operations in October or November.
"We are the first country, major football nation to be regulated in this way," he said. "The Premier League operates in a global environment. So naturally we have some concerns, but the main thing is that I think the regulator doesn't start from the position that football is somehow broken in this country...
"All of the key indicators are really positive for the whole of the pyramid, for the England teams, men's and women's. So, I think there is lots to be really proud about and the regulator should really be intervening where absolutely necessary."
The new Premier League season kicks off on Friday when defending champions Liverpool host Bournemouth.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing in Manchester;Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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