Chelsea FC faces 74 charges from the Football Association relating to alleged breaches of rules on agents, intermediaries and third-party investment in players. The charges represent one of the largest regulatory actions against a Premier League club in recent years.
The alleged rule breaches span from 2009 to 2022, with the majority occurring between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons during Roman Abramovich's ownership era. The charges cover violations of FA regulations on football agents, working with intermediaries, and third-party investment in players.
Current ownership cooperation
The club's current owners, the Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly consortium, self-reported the alleged breaches following their takeover in May 2022. According to the Daily Mail, the current US owners discovered potential regulatory issues during their due diligence process before completing the purchase.
Chelsea has until September 19 to respond to the charges. The Football Association confirmed the deadline in its official statement announcing the regulatory action.
Potential sanctions ahead
The Daily Mail reports that potential sanctions could include sporting penalties such as points deductions or transfer bans, though the club's cooperation in self-reporting may lead to financial penalties instead. The scale of cooperation from the new ownership could influence the severity of any punishment.
A separate Premier League investigation into Chelsea's conduct during the same period remains ongoing alongside these FA charges. The dual regulatory scrutiny highlights the complexity of the alleged violations spanning more than a decade.
Sources used: "The Standard", "Daily Mail", "Leeds Live" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
