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The Surrogate Regulatory Role of CAS Panels: Financial Fair Play at the Court of Arbitration for Sport

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Yearbook of International Sports Arbitration 2018–2020

Part of the book series: Yearbook of International Sports Arbitration ((YISA))

Abstract

UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules have proven to be one of sport’s most controversial and high profile regulatory initiatives. There has, consequently, been a considerable number of Financial Fair Play cases appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In turn, this has meant that Court of Arbitration for Sport Panels have played a critical, defining role in shaping the practice and procedure of the Financial Fair Play regulatory process. Examining the detail and impact of leading cases involving five clubs—Milan, Galatasaray, Paris Saint-Germain, Rubin Kazan, and Manchester City—this work considers how Financial Fair Play affects clubs, how Financial Fair Play disputes affect UEFA, and how Court of Arbitration for Sport Panels ultimately affect the entire regulatory ecosystem. What is seen is a move from legal challenges to Financial Fair Play on substantive grounds, towards challenges brought on procedural grounds. Moreover, more than just resolving disputes between UEFA and clubs as they arise, the coincidence of the structure of Financial Fair Play processes and the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s requirement for de novo reviews mean that Court of Arbitration for Sport Panels are responsible for re-running entire multi-year regulatory processes, taking on the role of surrogate regulator.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England from 2003 to 2013, famously advocated for a ‘boring’ approach to monetary policy: “A transparent monetary policy reaction function means that the news should be in developments of the economy not in the announcements of decisions by the central bank […]. Hence a successful central bank should be boring—rather like a referee whose success is judged by how little his or her decisions intrude into the game itself.” Monetary Policy: Theory in Practice, address Given by Mervyn King, Deputy Governor, Bank of England, 7 January 2000. https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/speech/2000/monetary-policy-theory-in-practice.pdf. Accessed 21 May 2021.

  2. 2.

    Weatherill 2017, p. 278.

  3. 3.

    UEFA, Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, 2018. https://documents.uefa.com/v/u/MFxeqLNKelkYyh5JSafuhg. Accessed 21 May 2021. This contribution was written before the entry into force of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Sustainability Regulation, 2022 Edition, in which the Regulations were substantially amended.

  4. 4.

    Lindholm 2010, p. 192.

  5. 5.

    UEFA, UEFA Europa Conference: All you need to know, https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferenceleague/news/0264-10fe90612aa3-37b2bc77f89e-1000--europa-conference-league-explained/. Accessed 1 March 2021.

  6. 6.

    UEFA, Financial Fair Play https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/protecting-the-game/financial-fair-play/. Accessed 1 March 2021.

  7. 7.

    Weatherill 2017, p. 271.

  8. 8.

    For an analysis, see Flanagan 2013.

  9. 9.

    Flanagan 2018a, p. 145.

  10. 10.

    Per Articles 6 and 7 of the Procedural Rules, the members of the CFCB are independent, and may not belong to any other UEFA organ, body, or committee; nor to any organ, body, committee or administrative division of a member association or affiliated league.

  11. 11.

    UEFA, Procedural Rules Governing the UEFA Club Financial Control Body, 2019. https://documents.uefa.com/v/u/tiwZWPkjhpinhlndT5sc9A. Accessed 21 May 2021.

  12. 12.

    Christopher Flanagan, How Changes To UEFA’S 2021 Procedural Rules Fundamentally Affect Financial Fair Play, LawInSport, 28 September 2021. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/how-changes-to-uefa-s-2021-procedural-rules-fundamentally-affect-financial-fair-play. Accessed 5 March 2022.

  13. 13.

    The two chambers becoming the ‘First Chamber’ and the ‘Appeals Chamber’ respectively, with the First Chamber given a clearer adjudicative function than had the erstwhile Investigatory Chamber, in addition to its investigatory function (see Christopher Flanagan, LawInSport, 28 September 2021. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/how-changes-to-uefa-s-2021-procedural-rules-fundamentally-affect-financial-fair-play. Accessed 5 March 2022).

  14. 14.

    By codifying the working processes around the entry into ‘Voluntary Agreements’ and ‘Settlement Agreements’; amending the rules concerning information gathering and evidence; amending the applicable statute of limitations; and so on. For detailed analysis, see Flanagan, LawInSport, 28 September 2021. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/how-changes-to-uefa-s-2021-procedural-rules-fundamentally-affect-financial-fair-play. Accessed 5 March 2022. See also Dunbar and Middleton 2022.

  15. 15.

    Flanagan 2018a, p. 146.

  16. 16.

    UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Bulletin 2019: Compliance and Investigation Activity Report 2017–19. https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefaorg/Clublicensing/02/63/75/26/2637526_DOWNLOAD.pdf, p. 44. Accessed 2 March 2021.

  17. 17.

    Christopher Flanagan, The Evolution of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Rules—Part 3: Past Reforms and Uncertain Future, 4 October 2017. https://www.asser.nl/SportsLaw/Blog/post/the-evolution-of-uefa-s-financial-fair-play-rules-part-3-past-reforms-and-uncertain-future-by-christopher-flanagan. Accessed 2 March 2021.

  18. 18.

    UEFA, Club Licensing: 10 Years On…, 2015. https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferenceleague/news/0264-10fe90612aa3-37b2bc77f89e-1000--europa-conference-league-explained/, p. 36. Accessed 2 March 2021. As given force by Articles 14(1)(b) and 15(1) of the Procedural Rules.

  19. 19.

    See Lindholm 2010; Flanagan 2013, 2018a; Bastianon 2015; Geey 2016; Serby 2016; Weatherill 2017.

  20. 20.

    For analysis as to the reasons why this may be, see Flanagan 2018b.

  21. 21.

    See for example CAS 2012/A/2821, Bursaspor Kulübü Dernegi v. UEFA, Award of 11 June 2015, a case relating to overdue payables.

  22. 22.

    See CAS 2012/A/2702, Györi ETO FC v. UEFA, Award of 8 May 2012; CAS 2012/A/2821, Bursaspor Kulübü Dernegi v. UEFA, Award of 10 July 2012; CAS 2012/A/2824, Beşiktaş JK v. UEFA, Award of 31 October 2012; CAS 2013/A/3067, Málaga CF SAD v. UEFA, Award of 8 October 2013; CAS 2013/A/3233, PAE Giannina 1966 v. UEFA, Award of 9 December 2013; CAS 2013/A/3453, FC Petrolul Ploiesti v. UEFA, Award of 20 February 2014; and CAS 2014/A/3533, Football Club Metallurg v. UEFA, Award of 9 September 2014.

  23. 23.

    See CAS 2016/A/4492, Galatasaray v. UEFA, Award of 3 October 2016; CAS 2016/A/4692, Kardemir Karabükspor Kulübü Dernegi v. UEFA, Award of 26 January 2017.

  24. 24.

    CAS 2013/A/3067, Málaga CF SAD v. UEFA, Award of 8 October 2013.

  25. 25.

    CAS 2016/A/4492, Galatasaray v. UEFA, Award of 3 October 2016.

  26. 26.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018.

  27. 27.

    Ibid., para. 4: “AC Milan has an impressive track record of European Club Championships, including 7 UEFA Champions League trophies, 5 UEFA Super Cup trophies and 2 UEFA Cup Winner’s Cups”.

  28. 28.

    Ibid., paras 6–10.

  29. 29.

    Ibid., para 20.

  30. 30.

    Ibid., para 8.

  31. 31.

    Ibid., para 20.

  32. 32.

    Ibid., para 21.

  33. 33.

    Ibid., para 22.

  34. 34.

    Ibid., para 24.

  35. 35.

    Ibid., para 26.

  36. 36.

    Ibid., para 29.

  37. 37.

    Ibid., paras 30–32.

  38. 38.

    Ibid., para 35.

  39. 39.

    Ibid., para 36.

  40. 40.

    Ibid., paras 8–9.

  41. 41.

    Ibid., para 36.

  42. 42.

    The hearing took place on 19 June 2018, with the decision notified to Milan on 27 June 2018 (ibid., paras 40–42).

  43. 43.

    Referred to simply as ‘the Decision’ in the award, amended here for the sake of clarity.

  44. 44.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 42.

  45. 45.

    Ibid., para 43.

  46. 46.

    Ibid., paras 102–106.

  47. 47.

    See Keidel and Fischer 2018, on the standing of third parties at the CAS generally.

  48. 48.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 55.

  49. 49.

    Ibid., para. 61.

  50. 50.

    Ibid., para. 114.

  51. 51.

    Ibid.

  52. 52.

    Ibid., para. 115.

  53. 53.

    See the detailed summary of the submissions: ibid., para 77.

  54. 54.

    Ibid., para 77(k).

  55. 55.

    Ibid., para 79.

  56. 56.

    CAS 2019/A/6298, Manchester City FC v. UEFA (2019), Award of 15 November 2019. See infra, Sect. 6.1.

  57. 57.

    Article 34, Procedural Rules 2021 Edition.

  58. 58.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 79(d).

  59. 59.

    Ibid., para 79(e).

  60. 60.

    Ibid., para 79(f).

  61. 61.

    Ibid., para 79(g), (h).

  62. 62.

    Ibid., para 79(h).

  63. 63.

    CAS 2016/A/4492, Galatasaray v. UEFA, Award of 3 October 2016.

  64. 64.

    Blackshaw 2003, and as to the impact of which, see Flanagan 2018b.

  65. 65.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 97.

  66. 66.

    Ibid.

  67. 67.

    Ibid., para 100.

  68. 68.

    Finding, among other things, that an audio file of a CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber hearing could be submitted as this was a ‘document’ within the meaning R44.3 of the CAS Code (Ibid., paras 107–108); and the submission of a new document—an updated profit and loss comparison forecast—by Milan at the hearing was permissible “because it could not have been produced at an earlier stage of the proceedings” in light of the expedited process (ibid., para. 117).

  69. 69.

    As provided by R57 of the CAS Code.

  70. 70.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 132.

  71. 71.

    Ibid.

  72. 72.

    This change should also be read in light of the CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of 13 July 2020 (see discussion infra).

  73. 73.

    Despina Mavromati, A Review Of The CAS Panel’s Decision In AC Milan v. UEFA—The Devil Is In The (Procedural) Detail, LawInSport, 21 November 2018. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/a-review-of-the-cas-panel-s-decision-in-ac-milan-v-uefa-the-devil-is-in-the-procedural-detail. Accessed 29 June 2021.

  74. 74.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 133.

  75. 75.

    CAS 2013/A/3139, Fenerbahce SK v. UEFA, Award of 5 December 2013, para 114; CAS 2012/A/2762, Bayer 04 Leverkusen v UEFA, Award of 15 March 2013, para 122; CAS 2011/A/2645, UCI v. Alexander Kolobnev and Russian Cycling Federation, Award of 29 February 2012, para 44.

  76. 76.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 135.

  77. 77.

    Ibid., para 140.

  78. 78.

    Indeed, expulsion from UEFA club competitions is not an unusually draconian measure, see for example CAS 2013/A/3067, Málaga CF SAD v. UEFA, Award of 8 October 2013.

  79. 79.

    Ibid., para 142.

  80. 80.

    Ibid.

  81. 81.

    Note that, in the award, “G. Did the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber assess the facts correctly” follows “B. Breach of UEFA Provisions or Statutory Law”. This is presumably a formatting error in the award, so the author has followed B with C here.

  82. 82.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, para 147.

  83. 83.

    Ibid., para 152.

  84. 84.

    Ibid.

  85. 85.

    Ibid.

  86. 86.

    Ibid., para 153.

  87. 87.

    Ibid., paras 154–156.

  88. 88.

    Ibid., paras 157–159.

  89. 89.

    Ibid., para 158.

  90. 90.

    Ibid.

  91. 91.

    In light of the expedited nature of the case, see ibid., para 158.

  92. 92.

    CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA.

  93. 93.

    CAS 2019/A/6083 and 6261, AC Milan S.p.A v. UEFA, Award of 28 June 2019, para 6.

  94. 94.

    CAS 2019/A/6083 AC Milan v. UEFA and CAS 2019/A/6261 AC Milan v. UEFA of 28 June 2019.

  95. 95.

    The concept of financial wellbeing ‘indicators’ is used throughout FFP, with different consequences dependent on the context in which the indicator is to be assessed. Breaches of the indicators stipulated in Article 62(3) of the Regulations generally necessitate additional reporting requirements (see Article 59(3), Article 63(1) of the Regulations).

  96. 96.

    CAS 2018/A/5957, Galatasaray v. UEFA, Award of 15 February 2019, para 5.

  97. 97.

    Ibid., para 12.

  98. 98.

    Ibid., para 16.

  99. 99.

    Ibid., para 17.

  100. 100.

    Ibid., para 18.

  101. 101.

    Ibid., para 20.

  102. 102.

    Cf. the approach in CAS 2018/A/5808, AC Milan v. UEFA, Award of 1 October 2018, above, in which the consent of the clubs would have further legitimised the disclosures.

  103. 103.

    CAS 2018/A/5957, Galatasaray v. UEFA, Award of 15 February 2019, para 24.

  104. 104.

    Ibid., para 30.

  105. 105.

    Ibid., para 42.

  106. 106.

    Including a literal interpretation, a systematic interpretation, and a teleological interpretation, see ibid., para 45.

  107. 107.

    Ibid.

  108. 108.

    Ibid., para 53.

  109. 109.

    Ibid., para 55.

  110. 110.

    Ibid., para 56.

  111. 111.

    Ibid., para 78.

  112. 112.

    Ibid., para 76.

  113. 113.

    Ibid., para 81.

  114. 114.

    Ibid., para 84.

  115. 115.

    Ibid., para 87.

  116. 116.

    Ibid., para 91.

  117. 117.

    CAS 2016/A/4787, Jersey Football Association v. UEFA, Award of 28 September 2017, para 92.

  118. 118.

    Michael Savva, An Update On Financial Fair Play—Case Study: The Neymar Transfer. LawInSport, 25 September 2017. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/an-update-on-financial-fair-play-case-study-the-neymar-transfer. Accessed 20 June 2021.

  119. 119.

    CAS 2018/A/5937, Paris Saint-Germain v. UEFA, Award of 19 March 2019, para 4.

  120. 120.

    Ibid., para 6.

  121. 121.

    Ibid., para 7.

  122. 122.

    Ibid., para 8.

  123. 123.

    Ibid., para 9.

  124. 124.

    Ibid., para 10.

  125. 125.

    Ibid., para 11.

  126. 126.

    Ibid., para 12.

  127. 127.

    Ibid.

  128. 128.

    Ibid., para 14.

  129. 129.

    Ibid., para 15.

  130. 130.

    Ibid., para 19.

  131. 131.

    The reference to “3 October 2018” may be a typographical error, and should perhaps have read “13 October 2018”, otherwise the appeal would have appeared to have come before the final decision.

  132. 132.

    CAS 2018/A/5937, Paris Saint-Germain v. UEFA, Award of 19 March 2019, para 25.

  133. 133.

    Ibid., paras 33–35.

  134. 134.

    Ibid., para 36.

  135. 135.

    Ibid., para 41.

  136. 136.

    Ibid., para 48.

  137. 137.

    Ibid., para 50.

  138. 138.

    Ibid.

  139. 139.

    Ibid., para 51.

  140. 140.

    Ibid., paras 50–51.

  141. 141.

    Ibid., para 65.

  142. 142.

    Ibid., para 66.

  143. 143.

    Ibid., para 67.

  144. 144.

    Ibid., para 73.

  145. 145.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019.

  146. 146.

    For an overview on which, see Joseph Richmond, Financial Fair Play: How Clubs Justify Spending and Related Party Transactions. LawInSport, 17 November 2017. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/financial-fair-play-how-clubs-justify-spending-related-party-transactions. Accessed 24 April 2021.

  147. 147.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 5.

  148. 148.

    Note that in the award, the information is said to have been submitted to “the UEFA Administration”, which is assumed to be the CFCB Investigatory Chamber given the standard FFP monitoring and compliance process.

  149. 149.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 9.

  150. 150.

    Ibid., para 10.

  151. 151.

    Ibid., para 12.

  152. 152.

    Ibid., para 13.

  153. 153.

    Ibid., para 14.

  154. 154.

    Ibid., para 18.

  155. 155.

    Ibid.

  156. 156.

    Ibid., para 15.

  157. 157.

    Ibid., para 20.

  158. 158.

    Ibid., para 22.

  159. 159.

    Ibid., para 23.

  160. 160.

    Per ibid., para 21: “the football activities were transferred from the legal entity “Municipal Autonomous Institution FC Rubin Kazan” (“MAI Rubin”) to the new legal entity “Football Club Rubin Kazan Limited Liability Company” (“FC Rubin Kazan LLC”)”.

  161. 161.

    Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla, Who Is Competent To Decide Upon The “Sporting Successor” Of A Football Club? LawInSport, 19 January 2021. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/who-is-competent-to-decide-upon-the-sporting-successor-of-a-football-club#_ftn1. Accessed 19 June 2021.

  162. 162.

    See for example CAS 2018/A/5618, Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club v. Shanghai SIPG Football Club, Award of 10 October 2018.

  163. 163.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 26.

  164. 164.

    Ibid., para 25.

  165. 165.

    Ibid., para 27.

  166. 166.

    Ibid., para 29.

  167. 167.

    Ibid., para 30.

  168. 168.

    The referral being in accordance with Article 8.1 of the Settlement Agreement and Article 15.5 of the Procedural Rules, which expressly accommodates a referral to the Adjudicatory Chamber in the case of breach of a Settlement Agreement.

  169. 169.

    Should it qualify within the two seasons following (CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 35). Note also that Rubin Kazan applied for a stay of ban during the instant proceedings, which application was refused by the Panel (ibid., paras 38 and 47).

  170. 170.

    Ibid., para 36.

  171. 171.

    Ibid., para 59.

  172. 172.

    See the detailed submissions at ibid., para 59.

  173. 173.

    Ibid.

  174. 174.

    Ibid., para 61.

  175. 175.

    Ibid.

  176. 176.

    Ibid., para 61.

  177. 177.

    UEFA’s submission in this regard is undeniably correct. See for example Flanagan 2013, in which the position around related party income is considered in the early manifestations of the Regulations.

  178. 178.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 61.

  179. 179.

    Ibid.

  180. 180.

    Ibid.

  181. 181.

    Ibid., para 68.

  182. 182.

    For a more detailed consideration on this point, see Freeburn 2018.

  183. 183.

    See Annex XI, para. (g).

  184. 184.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 74.

  185. 185.

    Ibid., para 75.

  186. 186.

    Ibid., para 75. By way of dissent to this analogy, one may of course suggest that a well-drafted employment contract of this nature might properly include a clause to the effect that ‘references applicable law, regulation, statute shall include the same as amended, updated, superseded, or replaced from time to time’ (subject to applicable local law requirements).

  187. 187.

    Which rule defines certain related party relationships.

  188. 188.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 78.

  189. 189.

    Ibid., para 84.

  190. 190.

    Ibid., para 93.

  191. 191.

    Ibid., para 94.

  192. 192.

    Ibid., para 92.

  193. 193.

    Ibid., paras 95–96.

  194. 194.

    See Annex X (F)(2) and (3) of the Regulations.

  195. 195.

    There are differences between the editions in this regard, with the 2015 edition of the Regulations including a specific statement (in Article 3, Definitions of terms) to the effect that parties who contribute more than 30% of a licensee’s revenue in a reporting period being related parties on that basis; although UEFA submitted in the case at hand that these differences were “merely cosmetic” (see CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 122).

  196. 196.

    Which position should be considered in light of the principle lex mitior as detailed above.

  197. 197.

    Whose existence “within the structure of its administration” Rubin Kazan had denied in its observations to the CFCB Adjudicator Chamber (see CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 34).

  198. 198.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 129.

  199. 199.

    Ibid., para 135.

  200. 200.

    Ibid., para 140.

  201. 201.

    Ibid., para 141.

  202. 202.

    Ibid., para 143.

  203. 203.

    Ibid., para 149.

  204. 204.

    Ibid.

  205. 205.

    For an assessment of burdens of proof at the CAS generally, see Rigozzi and Quinn 2014.

  206. 206.

    CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA, Award of 29 May 2019, para 150.

  207. 207.

    Ibid., para 150, with specification of those links listed at paras 151–153.

  208. 208.

    Ibid., para 155.

  209. 209.

    Ibid., para 156.

  210. 210.

    Ibid., paras 160–161.

  211. 211.

    Ibid.

  212. 212.

    Ibid., para 163.

  213. 213.

    Ibid., paras 164–172.

  214. 214.

    Ibid., para 178.

  215. 215.

    Specifically: CAS 2017/A/5003, Jérôme Valcke v. FIFA, Award of 27 July 2018, para 274.

  216. 216.

    Ibid., para. 178. Note that the parties to CAS Award CAS 2015/A/4338 are not stated where referred to in CAS 2018/A/5977, Rubin Kazan v. UEFA (Award of 29 May 2019). Other CAS awards, not mentioned by the Panel in this matter, have also invoked this doctrine—see for example CAS 2017/A/5155, Necmettin Erbakan Akyüz v. International Wushu Federation, Award of 21 September 2017, para. 67, and CAS 2016/A/4840, International Skating Union (ISU) v. Alexandra Malkova, Russian Skating Union (RSU) and Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)), Award of 6 November 2017, para 45.

  217. 217.

    CAS 2017/A/5003, Jérôme Valcke v. FIFA, Award of 27 July 2018, paras 183–185.

  218. 218.

    Ibid., para 183.

  219. 219.

    Ibid., para 188.

  220. 220.

    Ibid., para 187.

  221. 221.

    Ibid.

  222. 222.

    Christopher Flanagan, Manchester City's Financial Fair Play ban: the legal questions and consequences, LawInSport, 20 February 2020. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/dispute-resolution/item/manchester-city-s-financial-fair-play-ban-the-legal-questions-and-consequences#_ftn3. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  223. 223.

    See ibid.

  224. 224.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 7.

  225. 225.

    Ibid.

  226. 226.

    Ibid.

  227. 227.

    Ibid., paras 8–9.

  228. 228.

    Ibid., para 10.

  229. 229.

    Ibid.

  230. 230.

    Ibid., para 14.

  231. 231.

    Ibid.

  232. 232.

    Ibid.

  233. 233.

    Ibid., para 15.

  234. 234.

    Ibid., paras 16–17.

  235. 235.

    Ibid., para 29.

  236. 236.

    CAS 2019/A/6298, Manchester City FC v. UEFA (2019), Award of 15 November 2019, para 15.

  237. 237.

    Ibid., para 4.

  238. 238.

    Ibid., para. 49, sub-para. (a). For further analysis, see Christopher Flanagan, Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play ban: the legal questions and consequences, LawInSport, 20 February 2020. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/dispute-resolution/item/manchester-city-s-financial-fair-play-ban-the-legal-questions-and-consequences#_ftn3. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  239. 239.

    CAS 2019/A/6298, Manchester City FC v. UEFA (2019), Award of 15 November 2019, paras 99–105.

  240. 240.

    Ibid., para 102.

  241. 241.

    Ibid., para 83.

  242. 242.

    Ibis., para 88.

  243. 243.

    Ibid., para 91.

  244. 244.

    Ibid., para 95.

  245. 245.

    Ibid., para 95.

  246. 246.

    Ibid., para 105.

  247. 247.

    Ibid., para 93.

  248. 248.

    Ibid.

  249. 249.

    See Sects. 1, 2.1, 3.1, and 7.

  250. 250.

    Article 34, Procedural Rules 2021 Edition.

  251. 251.

    CAS 2019/A/6298, Manchester City FC v. UEFA (2019), Award of 15 November 2019, para 113.

  252. 252.

    Ibid.

  253. 253.

    Ibid., para 114.

  254. 254.

    Ibid., para 115.

  255. 255.

    Ibid., para 120.

  256. 256.

    Ibid., para 125.

  257. 257.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 29.

  258. 258.

    As is common in in sports arbitration and at the CAS specifically—see Rigozzi and Quinn 2014.

  259. 259.

    I.e. it was alleged that Etihad would pay (just) GBP 8 million per year of total sponsorship obligations.

  260. 260.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 29.

  261. 261.

    Ibid.

  262. 262.

    Ibid.

  263. 263.

    Ibid.

  264. 264.

    Ibid.

  265. 265.

    Ibid.

  266. 266.

    Ibid., para 30.

  267. 267.

    Which clubs, per ibid., para. 32, being Arsenal, Burnley, Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and which clubs, broadly speaking, occupied the top half of the Premier League at the time and thus had a material interest in Manchester City’s inclusion of exclusion from UEFA club competitions.

  268. 268.

    Ibid., paras 32–36.

  269. 269.

    Ibid., para 40.

  270. 270.

    Ibid.

  271. 271.

    Ibid., para 43.

  272. 272.

    Ibid.

  273. 273.

    See Article R44.3 of the CAS Code, inter alia.

  274. 274.

    It is acknowledged, of course, that a CAS Panel can apply, as applicable law, the Regulations and Procedural Rules in respect of the boundaries of evidence taking, and indeed the Panel in this case did expressly consider the information gathering obligations in respect of the Leaked Emails; however, the delta between the CAS Code disclosure rules and the CFCB’s information gathering rights was not explored at length in the award, as perhaps would have been beneficial.

  275. 275.

    Indeed, this prospect is obliquely referred to in CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 284.

  276. 276.

    Ibid., para 83.

  277. 277.

    Ibid., para 84.

  278. 278.

    Ibid., para 95.

  279. 279.

    Ibid., para 96.

  280. 280.

    CAS 2016/O/4504, International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) v. All Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) and Vladimir Mokhnev, Award of 23 December 2016.

  281. 281.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 107.

  282. 282.

    Ibid., para 100–102.

  283. 283.

    Ibid., para 103.

  284. 284.

    The exact endorsement to which this refers is not cited—it is presumed to be a reference to the “Fisas Report”, i.e. the Report on the European Dimension in Sport (2011/2087(INI)), 18 November 2011. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-7-2011-0385_EN.html?redirect. Accessed 27 June 2021.

  285. 285.

    See Weatherill 2017.

  286. 286.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 148.

  287. 287.

    Ibid., paras 124–135. See in particular the favourable CAS precedents cited in paragraph 145 (CAS 2008/A/1574, D’Arcy v. Australian Olympic Committee, Award of 7 July 2008; CAS 2018/A/5929, Esteghlal Iran Culture and Sport Private Joint Stock Company v. Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran Football League Organization and Persepolis FC, Award of 7 October 2019; CAS 2016/A/4648, Blaza Klemencic v. UCI, Award of 3 March 2017).

  288. 288.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 158.

  289. 289.

    Ibid., para 159.

  290. 290.

    For excerpts of which, see ibid., para 150.

  291. 291.

    Ibid., para 168.

  292. 292.

    Ibid., para 169.

  293. 293.

    Ibid., para 171.

  294. 294.

    Christopher Flanagan, A Full Review Of Man City v. UEFA CAS Award—Why This Is Not The End Of FFP, LawInSport, 12 August 2020. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/a-full-review-of-man-city-v-uefa-cas-award-why-this-is-not-the-end-of-ffp. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  295. 295.

    Article 37, Statute of Limitations, Procedural Rules 2021 Edition.

  296. 296.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 174.

  297. 297.

    Ibid., para 189.

  298. 298.

    Ibid., para 191.

  299. 299.

    Ibid., paras 196–198.

  300. 300.

    Dunbar and Middleton 2022.

  301. 301.

    Ibid.

  302. 302.

    Christopher Flanagan, A Full Review Of Man City v. UEFA CAS Award—Why This Is Not The End Of FFP, LawInSport, 12 August 2020. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/a-full-review-of-man-city-v-uefa-cas-award-why-this-is-not-the-end-of-ffp. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  303. 303.

    Ibid.

  304. 304.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para. 200.

  305. 305.

    CAS 2017/A/5379, Alexander Legkov v. International Olympic Committee (IOC), award of 23 April 2018.

  306. 306.

    CAS 2010/A/2172 O. v. Union des Associations Européennes de Football (UEFA), award of 18 January 2011, para 21.

  307. 307.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 213.

  308. 308.

    Ibid., para 244.

  309. 309.

    Ibid., para 254.

  310. 310.

    Dunbar and Middleton 2022.

  311. 311.

    See Articles 18 and 34, Procedural Rules 2021 edition.

  312. 312.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 274.

  313. 313.

    See, for example, paragraph 13.3 of the European Banking Authority Final Report on EBA Guidelines on Outsourcing Arrangements, EBA/GL/2019/02, 25 February 2019. https://www.eba.europa.eu/sites/default/documents/files/documents/10180/2551996/38c80601-f5d7-4855-8ba3-702423665479/EBA%20revised%20Guidelines%20on%20outsourcing%20arrangements.pdf?retry=1. Accessed 27 June 2021 (“Regardless of the criticality or importance of the outsourced function, the written outsourcing arrangements between institutions and service providers should refer to the information gathering and investigatory powers of competent authorities”).

  314. 314.

    Björn Hessert, The Duty To Cooperate—Questions Arising From The Man City v. UEFA Decision, LawInSport, 31 July 2020, https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/sports/football/item/the-duty-to-cooperate-questions-arising-from-the-man-city-v-uefa-decision?category_id=153#references. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  315. 315.

    CAS 2020/A/6785, Manchester City FC v. UEFA, Award of the 13 July 2020, para 309.

  316. 316.

    Ibid., paras 305–306.

  317. 317.

    Ibid., para 316.

  318. 318.

    Ibid., para 324.

  319. 319.

    Ibid., para 33.

  320. 320.

    Ibid., paras 333–334.

  321. 321.

    Ibid., para 331.

  322. 322.

    De Marco 2018, para 16.38.

  323. 323.

    Christopher Flanagan, A Full Review Of Man City V UEFA CAS Award—Why This Is Not The End Of FFP, LawInSport, 12 August 2020. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/a-full-review-of-man-city-v-uefa-cas-award-why-this-is-not-the-end-of-ffp. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  324. 324.

    Björn Hessert, The Duty To Cooperate—Questions Arising From The Man City v. UEFA Decision, LawInSport, 31 July 2020, https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/sports/football/item/the-duty-to-cooperate-questions-arising-from-the-man-city-v-uefa-decision?category_id=153#references. Accessed 23 April 2021.

  325. 325.

    See Flanagan 2018a.

  326. 326.

    As to which see Flanagan 2018a and 2018b. As to whether the break-even requirement is indeed anti-competitive, see the conclusions in CAS 2016/A/4492, Galatasaray v. UEFA, Award of 3 October 2016—although with the caveat that it was a case decided on the particular evidence presented.

  327. 327.

    Pijetlovic 2015, p. 44.

  328. 328.

    CAS 2019/A/6298, Manchester City FC v. UEFA (2019), Award of 15 November 2019, para 93.

  329. 329.

    Ibid.

  330. 330.

    For analysis of which see Christopher Flanagan, How Changes To UEFA’S 2021 Procedural Rules Fundamentally Affect Financial Fair Play, LawInSport, 28 September 2021. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/how-changes-to-uefa-s-2021-procedural-rules-fundamentally-affect-financial-fair-play. Accessed 5 March 2022.

  331. 331.

    Article 22(2), Procedural Rules 2021 edition.

  332. 332.

    Articles 18(3) and 34(3), Procedural Rules 2021 edition.

  333. 333.

    See supra, Sect. 6.4.3 and Dunbar and Middleton 2022.

  334. 334.

    Ibid.

  335. 335.

    For an overview on the legal issues presented by the Super League, see Chris Anderson, Tom Murray, Doomed To Fail? An Analysis Of European Super League And The Complex Web Of Football Governance, Regulations and Laws, LawInSport, 14 May 2021. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/an-analysis-of-the-legal-and-regulatory-hurdles-facing-the-european-super-league. Accessed 20 June 2021.

  336. 336.

    Albeit that it was at the suggestion of the parties.

  337. 337.

    Lindholm 2021, p. 2.

  338. 338.

    Despina Mavromati, A Review Of The CAS Panel’s Decision In AC Milan v. UEFA—The Devil Is In The (Procedural) Detail, LawInSport, 21 November 2018. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/a-review-of-the-cas-panel-s-decision-in-ac-milan-v-uefa-the-devil-is-in-the-procedural-detail. Accessed 29 June 2021.

  339. 339.

    In De Marco 2018, para 29.88.

  340. 340.

    For a more detailed explanation, see Hessert 2020.

  341. 341.

    This has coalesced in particular around Article 16 of the Procedural Rules.

  342. 342.

    See S12 of the CAS Code.

  343. 343.

    For a holistic assessment of the impact, see Michele Colucci, Alessandro Coni, Sean Cottrell, Rustam Sethna (2020) COVID-19 And Its Impact On Football—A Sports Law And Policy Centre And LawInSport Joint Survey—4th Edition, LawInSport, 15 December 2020. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/covid19-impact/item/coronavirus-a-and-its-impact-on-football-a-sports-law-and-policy-centre-and-lawinsport-joint-survey-2. Accessed 28 June 2021.

  344. 344.

    UEFA, Addendum to the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations (Edition 2018), 18 June 2020. https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefaorg/FinancialFairPlay/02/64/22/29/2642229_DOWNLOAD.pdf. Accessed 27 June 2021.

  345. 345.

    Paul MacInnes, Football’s Financial Fair Play Rules To Be Ripped Up After Covid Crisis, The Guardian, 25 March 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/mar/25/football-financial-fair-play-rules-to-be-ripped-up-after-covid-crisis. Accessed 29 June 2021.

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  1. Solicitor (England & Wales), Bath, UK

    Christopher A. Flanagan

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Flanagan, C.A. (2022). The Surrogate Regulatory Role of CAS Panels: Financial Fair Play at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In: Duval, A., Rigozzi, A. (eds) Yearbook of International Sports Arbitration 2018–2020. Yearbook of International Sports Arbitration. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/15757_2022_41

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