Everton docked two more points by EPL
Everton were docked two more points yesterday for their latest breach of the English Premier League (EPL) financial rules, plunging them back towards the relegation zone with seven games remaining.
Everton had already received a six-point deduction – reduced from 10 following an appeal – for the club overspending in three years up to the end of the 2021-22 season.
This latest punishment, handed out by an independent commission, came after Everton were found to have spent too much in the three seasons up to 2022-23.
The league profit and financial sustainability rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105 million (US$132.5 million) over three years or face sanctions. Everton overspent by £16.6 million (US$21 million), the league said.
Everton had, in effect, already been punished for the 202021 and 2021-22 seasons, partly explaining why the second points deduction was less.
APPEAL
They say, though, they were “extremely concerned by the
inconsistency of different commissions in respect of points deductions applied”, and they were preparing to launch an appeal against the decision.
By appealing, Everton potentially risks an increased punishment as it would be heard by another panel,
which could decide the sanction was not harsh enough.
The deduction meant Everton dropped below Brentford into 16th place on 27 points, only two points above Luton in 18th in the 20team league. Three teams will be relegated.
Everton, nine-time English champions, have been an everpresence in the top division since 1954.
They have worked closely with the league over their finances and, after being charged, said in the disciplinary hearing that there
were some “significant mitigating circumstances”, such as the admission of the breach, their “high level of cooperation”, and the war in Ukraine.
UKRAINE WAR
The reference to the war is linked to Everton majority owner Farhad Moshiri, a British-Iranian billionaire, and his close business relationship with Russian metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov. Usmanov was sanctioned by the European Union in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting the need for Everton to halt their major sponsorship with companies belonging to Usmanov in March 2022.
In the written reasons published by the EPL, Everton invited the independent commission to defer the second sanction until next season. The commission said it did not consider that to be appropriate.
The written reasons also showed the league felt five points was the appropriate starting place for the sanction – three for the breach and two more for exceeding the upper loss threshold by 15.8 per cent.
The commission knocked off two points because of the overlapping two seasons and another point because of the mitigating circumstances.