Leicester City Wins Appeal Against Points Deduction

Leicester City successfully appealed against a potential points deduction for an alleged breach of Premier League Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules. An independent panel determined that the Premier League lacked the jurisdiction to penalize the club. Consequently, the Premier League expressed surprise and disappointment at the decision.

Initially, the Premier League charged Leicester City with breaching spending rules which prompted the club to appeal. An independent commission ruled that the Premier League could take action. However, Leicester contested this decision, arguing that they belonged to the English Football League (EFL) when the charge was issued.

The panel agreed with Leicester, ruling that the club fell outside the Premier League’s disciplinary jurisdiction at the time of the calculation. The PSR rules cap clubs’ losses at £105 million over a three-season period. Although Leicester faced charges related to this period, the club had been relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2022-23 season and only filed its accounts after leaving the Premier League.

The panel criticized the PSR rules as “far from well drafted” and decided that Leicester should not face penalties given their status at the time of the calculation. Additionally, the Premier League warned that the decision might allow clubs exceeding the PSR threshold to evade accountability.

Leicester’s successful appeal has relieved the King Power Stadium. The club argued that the Premier League acted outside its jurisdiction and called for clearer rules. As a result, the Premier League now considers how to enforce its rules consistently. It might also rewrite the rules to prevent similar issues in the future.