Connect with us

Published

on

Manchester City have scored a legal victory over the Premier League in a long-running battle over financial rules – but both sides have conflicting interpretations of the ruling’s significance.

In a case brought by City, an independent panel is understood to have informed clubs that Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules are void and unenforceable, Sky News understands.

The rules were first introduced in December 2021 after the Saudi takeover of Newcastle to ensure commercial deals with companies linked to clubs’ ownership were at a fair market value.

They also targeted the revenue that could be raised by Abu Dhabi-backed City from state entities through sponsorship.

City brought the legal challenge after being blocked by the Premier League from advancing new more lucrative deals with Etihad Airways and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

The Premier League champions are owned by UAE vice president Sheikh Mansour.

Newcastle United fans celebrate the Saudi takeover in 2021. Pic: AP
Image:
An independent panel has ruled financial rules introduced after the Newcastle takeover are void and unenforceable. File pic: AP

This new arbitration panel ruling found fault with the Premier League’s ability as a regulator to create rules. It follows an initial verdict in October.

The league responded to that by rewriting three areas of the rules found to be illegal and the revisions were passed by a majority of clubs in November.

Most notably, the fair market value of shareholder loans now has to be factored into assessments about the profit and sustainability of clubs which determine how legitimate income is.

The league also ensured clubs would have earlier access to a databank with comparable sponsorship values to assess their deals against.

Pic: Reuters
Image:
Manchester City have won a legal challenge against the Premier League’s financial rules. Pic: Reuters

So Premier League chief executive Richard Masters believes those new rules replaced the ones now found to be void by the tribunal – attempting to underplay the impact of this ruling.

In a statement after the ruling, the Premier League said: “The tribunal’s decision has found that the three narrow aspects of the old APT rules, previously found to be unlawful, cannot be separated from the rest of the previous rules as a matter of law. The result, the tribunal has determined, is that the previous APT rules, as a whole, are unenforceable.

“However, the previous APT rules are no longer in place, as clubs voted new APT rules into force in November 2024. This decision expressly does not impact the valid operation of the new rules.”

The Premier League added: “The League continues to believe that the new APT Rules are valid and enforceable and is pressing for an expeditious resolution of this matter.”

But City are also challenging the legality of the new rules that are designed to prevent the wealthiest clubs from inflating the value of deals to spend more on players and comply with Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR).

Clubs can only lose £105m over three years under PSR – which will remain in place into next season amid legal challenges blocking new regulations.

Read more:
Etihad boss denies paying over odds for City sponsorship
Why Manchester City are suing Premier League

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts on the touchline during the Premier League match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture date: Saturday December 21, 2024.
Image:
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Pic: PA

City are hoping a panel rules for the third time in their favour, arguing that the Premier League amended rules in November that it has now been decided should never have been in place.

And this is all before the verdict is delivered on a far bigger and more consequential case.

A verdict is due imminently into more than 100 alleged breaches of financial rules stretching back to 2009.

Continue Reading

UK

Teenager living in ‘continuous pain’ after surgeon Dr Yaser Jabbar carried out ‘inappropriate’ operations

Published

on

By

Teenager living in 'continuous pain' after surgeon Dr Yaser Jabbar carried out 'inappropriate' operations

A 15-year-old boy who was operated on twice by a now unlicensed Great Ormond Street surgeon is living with “continuous” pain.

Finias Sandu has been told by an independent review the procedures he underwent on both his legs were “unacceptable” and “inappropriate” for his age.

The teenager from Essex was born with a condition that causes curved bones in his legs.

Aged seven, a reconstructive procedure was carried out on Finias’s left leg, lengthening the limb by 3.5cm.

A few years later, the same operation was carried out on his right leg which involved wearing an invasive and heavy metal frame for months.

He has now been told by independent experts these procedures should not have taken place and concerns have been raised over a lack of imaging being taken prior to the operations.

Dr Yasser Jabbar. Pic: Linkedin
Image:
Yaser Jabbar rescinded his UK medical licence last year. Pic: LinkedIn

His doctor at London’s prestigious Great Ormond Street Hospital was former consultant orthopaedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar. Sky News has spoken to others he treated.

Mr Jabbar also did not arrange for updated scans or for relevant X-rays to be conducted ahead of the procedures.

The surgeries have been found to have caused Finias “harm” and left him in constant pain.

“The pain is there every day, every day I’m continuously in pain,” he told Sky News.

“It’s not something really sharp, although it does get to a certain point where it hurts quite a lot, but it’s always there. It just doesn’t leave, it’s a companion to me, just always there.”

Read more:
Girl who had leg amputated suffered harm during surgeon’s care
Child, 11, in wheelchair after surgeon’s operations

Hospital accused of ‘covering up’ concerns about suspended surgeon

Finias Sandu's surgery pictures
Image:
Finias’s surgery pictures

Care of over 700 patients being assessed

Mr Jabbar rescinded his UK medical licence in January last year after working at Great Ormond Street between 2017 and 2022.

The care of his 700-plus patients is being assessed, with some facing corrective surgery, among them Finias.

Finias Sandu in hospital

“Trusting somebody is hard to do, knowing what they have done to me physically and emotionally, you know, it’s just too much to comprehend for me,” he said.

“It wasn’t something just physically, like my leg pain and everything else. It was emotionally, because I put my trust in that specific doctor. My parents and I don’t really understand the more scientific terms, we just went by what he said.”

Finias Sandu in hospital

Doctors refused to treat Finias because of his surgeries

Finias and his family relocated to their native Romania soon after the reconstructive frame was removed from his right leg in the summer of 2021.

The pain worsened and they sought advice from doctors in Romania, who refused to treat Finias because of the impact of his surgeries.

Finias Sandu in hospital

Dozens of families seeking legal claims

His mother Cornelia Sandu is “furious” and feels her trust in the hospital has been shattered. They are now among dozens of families seeking legal claims.

Cyrus Plaza from Hudgell Solicitors is representing the family. He said: “In cases where it has been identified that harm was caused, we want to see Great Ormond Street Hospital agreeing to pay interim payments of compensation for the children, so that if they need therapy or treatment now, they can access it.”

Finias Sandu in hospital

Finias is accessing therapy and mental health support as he prepares for corrective surgery later in the year.

A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital told Sky News: “We are deeply sorry to Finias and his family, and all the patients and families who have been impacted.

“We want every patient and family who comes to our hospital to feel safe and cared for. We will always discuss concerns families may have and, where they submit claims, we will work to ensure the legal process can be resolved as quickly as possible.”

Finias Sandu with his mother and sister
Image:
Finias with his mother and sister

Service not ‘safe for patients’

Sky News has attempted to contact Mr Jabbar.

An external review into the wider orthopaedic department at the hospital began in September 2022.

It was commissioned after the Royal College of Surgeons warned the hospital’s lower limb reconstruction service was not “safe for patients or adequate to meet demand”.

The investigation is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Continue Reading

UK

Keir Starmer says closer EU ties will be good for UK jobs, bills and borders ahead of key talks

Published

on

By

Keir Starmer says closer EU ties will be good for UK jobs, bills and borders ahead of key talks

Sir Keir Starmer has said closer ties with the EU will be good for the UK’s jobs, bills and borders ahead of a summit where he could announce a deal with the bloc.

The government is set to host EU leaders in London on Monday as part of its efforts to “reset” relations post-Brexit.

A deal granting the UK access to a major EU defence fund could be on the table, according to reports – but disagreements over a youth mobility scheme and fishing rights could prove to be a stumbling block.

The prime minister has appeared to signal a youth mobility deal could be possible, telling The Times that while freedom of movement is a “red line”, youth mobility does not come under this.

His comment comes after Kaja Kallas, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, said on Friday work on a defence deal was progressing but “we’re not there yet”.

Sir Keir met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later that day while at a summit in Albania.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen ahead of their bilateral meeting as he attends the European Political Community Summit (EPC) in Tirana, Albania. Picture date: Friday May 16, 2025. Leon Neal/PA Wire
Image:
Ursula von der Leyen and Sir Keir had a brief meeting earlier this week. Pic: PA

If agreed, the deal will be the third in two weeks, following trade agreements with India and the US.

More on European Union

Sir Keir said: “First India, then the United States – in the last two weeks alone that’s jobs saved, faster growth and wages rising.

“More money in the pockets of British working people, achieved through striking deals not striking poses.

“Tomorrow, we take another step forward, with yet more benefits for the United Kingdom as the result of a strengthened partnership with the European Union.”

Read more:
Humza Yousaf hits out at Starmer’s ‘dog whistle’ stance on immigration
MPs criticise terminally ill Esther Rantzen’s assisted dying intervention

👉 Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said she is “worried” about what the PM might have negotiated.

Ms Badenoch – who has promised to rip up the deal with the EU if it breaches her red lines on Brexit – said: “Labour should have used this review of our EU trade deal to secure new wins for Britain, such as an EU-wide agreement on Brits using e-gates on the continent.

“Instead, it sounds like we’re giving away our fishing quotas, becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again and getting free movement by the back door. This isn’t a reset, it’s a surrender.”

Continue Reading

UK

Man arrested at Luton Airport in connection with fires at properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer

Published

on

By

Man arrested at Luton Airport in connection with fires at properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer

A second man has been arrested in connection with fires at two properties and a car linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The 26-year-old was arrested around 1.45pm at Luton Airport on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

The arrest was made by counter terrorism officers. The man has been taken into police custody in London.

It comes after a Ukrainian man, 21, was charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life.

Roman Lavrynovych appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday and was remanded in custody.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command led the investigation because of the connections to the prime minister.

Emergency services were called to a fire in the early hours of Monday at a house in Kentish Town, north London, where Sir Keir lived with his family before the election.

Read more from Sky News:
Why gold spike means you need to update your home insurance

Meet the UK’s Eurovision hopefuls who sing trollers’ insults

Damage was caused to the property’s entrance, but nobody was hurt.

A car was also set alight in the same street last Thursday.

There was another blaze at the front door of a house converted into flats in Islington, also linked to the prime minister, on Sunday.

One person was taken to safety via an internal staircase by crews wearing breathing apparatus.

Continue Reading

Trending