Hull owner's criticism of Man City: comparable to doping

Hull City owner Ali Acun Ilicali expressed his criticism of Manchester City in the podcast The 1904 Club and compared the possible sanction hanging over the club to doping. He says it is financially driven and comparable to winning an Olympic medal.

Ilicali starts with the statement from Manchester City's chairman: “Their chairman says they are innocent”. He emphasizes that the Premier League itself says the club is not innocent, without making a judgment on guilt or innocence.

Financial charges and possible sanction

Manchester City has previously been found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges against the club. The sanction that now hangs over them remains unknown, but the Citizens remain combative. Ferran Soriano, director of Manchester City, told The Times that it took eight years to reach this point and that much more time will be needed.

Ilicali is therefore one of the first Premier League chairmen to speak publicly about the case. However, he says he does not yet condemn the club, as he awaits the final decision of the League.

The comparison with doping is supported by Ilicali with the concept of “financial doping”: the four or five best players receive huge sums, thereby breaching the rules. From that perspective, he does not view the situation positively.