Hull City owner Acun Ilıcalı has said that if Manchester City are found guilty in their case against the Premier League, the situation is no different to doping and winning an Olympic medal.
News leaked on Friday that City are expected to be found guilty of the majority of charges levied against them by the Premier League, although there has been no official communication of the verdict. The news has prompted huge speculation over what might happen next, from points deductions to relegations and star players leaving.
Chairman's statement and appeal prospects
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak released a statement on Saturday in which he continued to stress the club are innocent against the charges against them, and should the Blues be found guilty, then an appeal seems a formality.
The case could open the floodgates for clubs to claim compensation for lost financial benefits during the period in question. Ilıcalı, who saw his side promoted to the Premier League through the play-offs last season, has given his verdict on the case.
Owner's verdict on fairness and punishment
"As an owner, I shouldn't speak too much about it, I think, because I'm not inside it to know everything about it in detail," Ilıcalı told the latest episode of the 1904 Club podcast.
"From my side, I will make a general speech, which is that if something involved in football is unfair, then it should be punished. If you give a small punishment, then everybody will do it. For the future of football, and for it to be a clean future, this kind of thing if it happens, should be punished and not let people do something like that."
Financial distance and doping comparison
"I like natural money in football. For us, we will not have the budget of a top six or top 10 teams in England, but we respect that. We have enough distance because of the income they have naturally, please don't add more distance from some more money and make the distance higher and higher. It's enough distance with these teams' usual income."
"If there is a certain mistake, this mistake is not a mistake like I do it and I can appeal it, if there is a mistake like this, this kind of mistakes give crazy advantages to some teams and it's not fair."
"Their chairman says they are innocent. I don't say they are guilty or not because they are saying they are innocent, and the Premier League says they are not innocent. If they are not innocent, I think it is no different to doping and winning an Olympic medal. This is financial doping at the end of the day. Bringing the top four or five players with huge money, breaking the rules. From that side, it doesn't look very positive."
