Football regulator threatens to resign if government interferes in Manchester City case

The chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has said he will quit if there is political interference in any future investigation launched into Manchester City. The club have been found guilty by an independent commission of clearly intending to circumvent Premier League financial rules over a nine-season period. City have appealed against the verdict, but if it is upheld the IFR could also act, and has the power to force owners to divest from clubs in extreme cases. Prime Minister Andy Burnham raised eyebrows when he said he would be “really concerned” if City’s Abu Dhabi owners left following the commission verdict, emphasising the potential for this case to have implications for diplomatic and trade relations between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. IFR chair David Kogan was adamant however that he and his body would not stand for any meddling in their work, should they seek to take action against City’s owners in the future. • Subscribe to ITV News on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2lOHmNj • Get breaking news and more stories at http://www.itv.com/news Follow ITV News on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@itvnews?lang=en Follow ITV News on Instagram:   / itvnews   Follow ITV News on Facebook:   / itvnews   Follow ITV News on X:   / itvnews