Премьер лигийн санхүүгийн дүрмийг зөрчсөн хэргээр буруутай гэж тооцогдсон Манчестер Ситигийн эзэмшлийн асуудлаарх Ерөнхий сайдын байр суурь олон нийтийн эсэргүүцэлтэй тулгарч байна.
Премьер лигээс Манчестер Ситид холбогдуулан гаргасан 115 зүйл анги бүхий хэргээс 114-т нь тус клуб буруутай нь тогтоогдсон юм. Үүнтэй холбогдуулан Энди Бөрнэм тус клубийн эзэд багаа зарах шаардлагатай болбол энэ нь “маш их санаа зовоосон асуудал” болно хэмээн мэдэгдсэн нь шүүмжлэлийн бай болжээ. Тэрээр Манчестер Ситигийн өмнөх эзэд хотын хөгжил болон клубийн дэлхийн хэмжээний хүч чадлыг бүтээн байгуулахад чухал үүрэг гүйцэтгэсэн гэдгийг онцолсон байна.
Өөрийн дэмждэг Эвертон клубийн жишээг татан, тухайн үед шударга бус хандаж байсныг дурдсан Бөрнэм хэргийг урьдчилан дүгнэхээс татгалзжээ. Консерватив намын зүгээс түүний энэхүү байр суурийг “бодит байдлаас тасарсан” болон “ер бусын” хэмээн шүүмжилсэн байна.
Пүрэв гарагт Даунинг Стритээс Бөрнэмийн байр суурийг тодруулах оролдлого хийж, бие даасан мөрдөн шалгах үйл явцыг хүндэтгэх ёстойг мэдэгдэв. Гэсэн хэдий ч албан ёсны мэдэгдэлд “буруутай үйлдэл тогтоогдсон тохиолдолд” гэх үг хэрэглэснийг хөгжөөн дэмжигчид эргэлзээтэй хэмээн хүлээн авчээ. Олон нийтийн зүгээс Манчестер Ситигийн буруутай үйлдэл аль хэдийн тогтоогдсон гэж үзэж байгаа бөгөөд одоо өрнөж буй үйл явц нь зөвхөн давж заалдах шатны асуудал гэдгийг онцолж байна.
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Andy Burnham has come under further criticism after a statement from Downing Street attempted to clarify his comments that were made around Manchester City’s breach of Premier League financial rules.
This week, after City were found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League, Burnham said he would be “really concerned” if City’s owners were forced to sell the club.
“They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester, and the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is,” he added.
READ MORE: Man City’s ‘irrefutable evidence’ in 115 charges case disclosed for the first time
Speaking at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Burham also thanked the City Football Group and the wider ownership for “the money that they didn’t just put into the Etihad and the campus around it but also into the city.”
The PM also stressed that he did not want to assume guilt, comparing the situation to the club he supports, Everton, who had been charged with a more minor breach of Premier League financial rules.
“Everton was in this position a few years ago and you might remember that I fought for Everton in that situation because I still hold the view very firmly that they weren’t fairly treated in that process,” he said.
Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Andy Burnham in 2019. Image credit: Getty
‘”I remember people proclaiming Everton guilty at the time and with hindsight I think more people would say that wasn’t fair, the way that was handled. So it would be wrong of me to leap to one side given the experience that I’d had before becoming prime minister.”
Burnham was widely criticised for saying he was “really concerned” that City’s owners could sell up, with his comments being described as “completely out of touch” and “extraordinary” by the Conservative Party.
On Thursday, a statement from Downing Street attempted to clarify Burnham’s comments, but the use of the word “wrongdoing” was questioned.
“As the Prime Minister made clear, the initial judgement is serious and there can’t be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules,” a spokesman said. “He also stressed that it is an ongoing independent process. It is essential that it is allowed to run its course and the outcome respected.”
The statement added: “Wherever wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences.”
Some fans have questioned the latest statement from Downing Street. One commented: “Hasn’t wrongdoing already been established?”
A second wrote: “This is actually an odd one from Burnham, still. He says ‘if wrongdoing is established’ – it has been established. This is the final award, even if an appeal is possible.”
A third said: “Wrongdoing has been established. The appeal is to challenge the verdict of guilty established following the tribunal,” and a fourth added: “The wrongdoing has been established, no?”
