Officials from the United Arab Emirates warned the British government, according to the financial agency Bloomberg, cited by EFE, that a possible sanction decided by an independent commission could affect the UAE's willingness to make large investments and commitments in the United Kingdom.
Manchester City club was recently found guilty by an independent commission of the English Premier League, facing penalties such as fines, point deductions, relegation, or even expulsion from professional football.
Manchester City was bought in 2008 by the Abu Dhabi investment fund, which has since injected capital into the club. The Premier League reported that the English team defrauded over one billion euros between 2009 and 2018 through inflated sponsorships, with the majority of these sponsorships coming from companies in the United Arab Emirates.
Bloomberg data shows that in the last five years, the United Arab Emirates has invested more than 30 million pounds (equivalent to 36 million euros) in crucial areas of the United Kingdom, such as science, defense, and technology. Furthermore, there are plans for a summit between the two countries this October.
The same news agency indicated that members of the British government express frustration with the stance of the United Arab Emirates in this scandal, as they believe the UAE was aware of the irregularities committed by Manchester City for almost a decade but insisted on denying any illicit involvement.
The UAE's position emerged after controversial statements by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who had to retract after stating it would be 'very worrying' to lose the owners of Manchester City if they were forced to leave the club due to the scandal.
A spokesperson for Downing Street, the office of the British Prime Minister, issued a statement hours later, clarifying that no one is above the law and that those responsible must face the consequences of their actions.
Manchester City informed today that it has already filed its appeal regarding the financial issues. A final decision is expected to be released in January.