Premier League ‘surprised and disappointed’ by appeal board’s Leicester decision

The Premier League is “surprised and very disappointed” after Leicester won their appeal against a decision that an independent commission had jurisdiction to consider an alleged breach of profit and sustainability rules.

An appeal board found that Leicester’s accounting period – after it was claimed the club exceeded the permitted £105million threshold over three seasons – ended on June 30, 2023, a month and two days after the Foxes were relegated from the top flight.

The Premier League said the appeal board’s decision “effectively means that, despite the club being a member of the (Premier) League from seasons 2019-20 to 2022-23, the league cannot take action against the club for exceeding the relevant PSR threshold in respect of the associated accounting periods”.

Leicester City has won its appeal against a decision that an independent Commission had jurisdiction to consider an alleged breach by the Club of Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 3, 2024

It added that the verdict “will have created a situation where any club exceeding the PSR threshold could avoid accountability in these specific circumstances”.

Leicester, who could have faced a points deduction had they been found to have breached financial rules, welcomed the decision, adding that the verdict “supports our consistently stated position that any action against the club should be pursued in accordance with the applicable rules” and “how they are actually written”.

After a campaign in the Championship, Leicester returned to the Premier League this season. They have drawn one and lost two of their opening three fixtures.

Both Nottingham Forest and Everton were given points deductions last season