IFR Chief Says He Would Resign If Political Pressure Blocked Action Against Man City Owners

The Chairman of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), David Kogan, has said he would resign immediately if any political influence were brought to bear to prevent action being taken against Manchester City's owners and senior executives in the 115 financial-rule breach cases against the club. Manchester City has appealed the decision on the cases established against the club. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the IFR would have to step into the matter under football governance rules. If it is determined that the owners of a club are not fit and proper persons, the IFR also has the legal power to force the club to be sold. If the appeal does not save the club, measures such as forcing the sale of the club from the hands of UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan would follow. The British government has guaranteed the independence of the IFR by removing a provision requiring the regulator's decisions to take into account the government's foreign and trade policy. Speaking at a meeting held in Manchester, Kogan said he would not allow any room to raise questions over the independence of the commission he chairs. "We are in this position for one purpose only. That is to regulate football. Any other matter outside that is not something we deal with. And no part of any decision we take will be anything other than that. Our independence is complete independence. And my independence is also clearly defined independence," Kogan said. "If any political influence is exerted on our work, I will resign; I said that clearly last year too. I still stand by that position. And to say clearly, no political influence of any kind has come to us regarding any of these matters. And we do not see any such thing coming in the future." Kogan said there is legal power to determine whether the owners of a club are fit and proper. He said a matter would be decided only after considering legal advice and conducting a full investigation. In this matter, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has come under fire over previous meetings with City's management. Under the pressure he faced, those details were made public. They were meetings held while he was Mayor of Manchester. Burnham said the investigations in this matter are serious investigations. He also said that if wrongdoing is proven, appropriate action must be taken against the parties responsible in the matter.