Football regulator chair vows to resign if politicians interfere in Man City case

The chair of English football's independent regulator says he will resign immediately if any politician tries to interfere over Manchester City's future. David Kogan, who leads the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), made the pledge on Tuesday at the launch of the body's State of the Game report, according to BBC Sport. Kogan was asked directly what he would do if he came under political pressure over the case.

"I would resign," he told BBC Sport. He added: "Our independence is absolute and my independence personally is absolute. I [have] made it very clear … any form of political interference on the way we operate is going to result in my resigning from this role, and I stand by that completely." The comments follow criticism of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said last month he would be "really concerned" if the scandal led to City's Abu Dhabi owners selling the club.

Burnham later denied his reaction had "downplayed the seriousness of the findings", but some Premier League clubs were so "astonished" by his stance that sources told BBC Sport they were "concerned" about political interference in the appeal process. Kogan said no politician had tried to influence the regulator and that he expected none would. "We've come under absolutely no political pressure whatsoever on this or any other topic. And I don't expect to in the future," he said, as reported by Al Jazeera.

An independent commission found City had broken Premier League financial rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018. The club's owners, Abu Dhabi United Group, are said to have topped up the value of commercial deals as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to the scale of £830m, according to BBC Sport. City has appealed the verdict, and a sanctions hearing could take months to convene.

Punishments could range from a huge fine to points deductions or ejection from the Premier League. Asked how crucial it was that the case be resolved quickly, Kogan said: "I think it's very important." The IFR has the power to assess the suitability of club owners and executives, and could force a sale if an owner is found to have failed a fitness test related to integrity, honesty and financial soundness.

Kogan said the regulator would wait for the appeal outcome before deciding on any action. "We are waiting like everybody else to see what the independent panel will do… and then we will bring in a view in terms of our own investigation and statutory powers if we need to do so," he said. Kogan's own appointment was scrutinised because of his historic links to the Labour Party, including donations to the leadership campaigns of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and culture secretary Lisa Nandy.