Everton points deduction to be heard in Parliament

Published on: 20 November 2023

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman says Everton 'feel they did all they could'.

Everton's 10-point deduction by the Premier League will be discussed in Parliament after a Liverpool MP called the punishment "grossly unfair".

Ian Byrne, MP for West Derby, has tabled an early day motion (EDM) in the House of Commons which will be laid on Tuesday for other MPs to support.

Everton received the sanction on Friday after being found to have breached the Premier League's financial rules.

Byrne also called to "immediately establish" an independent regulator.

In February, the government announced plans to appoint a regulator, following a fan-led review last year.

Plans for the regulator were outlined in the King's Speech this month.

King Charles III said the Football Governance Bill, which will introduce a regulator, will "safeguard the future of football clubs for the benefit of communities and fans".

English top-flight clubs are permitted to lose £105m over three years, and an independent commission found Everton's losses to 2021-22 amounted to £124.5m.

The punishment is the biggest sporting sanction in the competition's history and leaves Everton 19th in the table, two points adrift of safety.

Everton's case relates to interest payments on the club's new £760m stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, which they believe were permissible 'add backs' for profit and sustainability calculations in the 2021-22 financial year.

But the commission disagreed and did not accept the club's claim of mitigating factors such as being fully compliant with the Premier League over the past two years, the direct impact of the Russia-Ukraine war by forgoing the lucrative USM sponsorship and the impact of the Covid pandemic on the transfer market.

The Toffees are set to appeal against the decision and BBC Sport understands could formally submit it to the Premier League this week.

In the motion, Byrne requested the "suspension of all proceedings and sanctions made by the Commission until the regulator makes its own determination".

He added: "This House condemns the grossly unjust points deduction imposed on Everton Football Club by a Premier League commission.

"A punishment lacking any legal or equitable foundation or justification for the level of sanction and notes that financial, not sporting penalties, for far more severe breaches have been applied.

"[The motion] declares that sporting sanctions unfairly punish supporters and notices the improper dismissal of extraordinary mitigating circumstances outlined by Everton."

Earlier on Monday, mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotheram wrote to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters regarding the "wholly disproportionate" and "unprecedented" points deduction.

Rotheram said:external-link "While I understand, and indeed support, the importance of maintaining discipline and upholding the integrity of the sport, it is crucial to ensure that any punitive measures are proportionate and just. I do not believe that this punishment fits the crime.

"I completely support the club's appeal and would urge you to take a more lenient approach and consider alternative forms of punishment that do not unfairly penalise the club's players and supporters."

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Source: bbc.com

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