Everton have been deducted 10 points by an independent commission after being found to have breached Premier League financial rules.
The league referred Everton to the commission in March for an alleged breach of its profitability and sustainability rules (PSRs) in the period ending in the 2021-22 season.
The commission imposed the immediate points deduction which will see Everton drop from 14th in the standings into the relegation zone, above bottom side Burnley only on goal difference.
Financial rules allow clubs to lose a maximum £105million ($A201 million) over a three-year period or face sanctions.
Everton issued a statement confirming their intention to appeal against the sanction.
The Premier League said in a statement published on its official website: “During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute.
“Following a five-day hearing last month, the Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5million ($A239 million), as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs.
“The Commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”
Everton said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the sanction imposed by the commission.
“The club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction,” the Toffees statement read.
“The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League.
“Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process.
“The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings.
“Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted”
Five clubs – Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Leicester and Burnley – were notified in May that if the complaint against Everton was upheld they would have 28 days to inform the commission that they wished to pursue a claim of compensation.
© AAP
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