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Practise and look up

Practice on closed records

Six records, each decided and each published by the body that decided it. Read the scenario, answer the questions, then check yourself against the model answers and the record itself.

In one screen

Can you do it on a closed, dated record?

Six exercises on decided records: a Section X award, an Appeal Board decision, a Commission ruling, two Court of Appeal judgments and a CAS award. Never a live matter.

Why only decided records?

Because a live case can change under you. An exercise built on a pending appeal teaches an answer that may be reversed next month. A decided record stays put: anyone can open it, read the paragraph and test the answer. That is why the case running through this course is not here — it joins only when every part of it is decided.

The exercises

Exercise 1intermediate

Wrong, but not perverse

The Football Association Premier League Ltd v Leicester City Football Club

Section X arbitral tribunal (Lord Mance, Lord Neuberger, Michael Crane KC) · FA Premier League Ltd v Leicester City FC, award · 2025-05-19

A Commission held that the League could pursue a club for a profit-and-sustainability breach. An Appeal Board reversed it. The League, having lost, took the Appeal Board's decision to arbitration under Section X, arguing that it rested on a perverse interpretation of the law.

  1. On what grounds can a Section X tribunal review an Appeal Board's decision?
  2. What did the tribunal say 'perverse interpretation of the law' means?
  3. The tribunal thought the Appeal Board had read the Rules wrongly. Why did its decision stand?
Exercise 2starter

A sale after the deadline

The Football Association Premier League Ltd v Nottingham Forest Football Club

Premier League Appeal Board (Lord Dyson, David Phillips KC, Daniel Alexander KC) · Appeal Board decision on Nottingham Forest · 2024-05-07

A club admitted a profit-and-sustainability breach and was deducted four points. It appealed on two grounds: the Commission should have treated a high-profile player sale, made shortly after the assessment period, as mitigation; and it should have suspended some or all of the deduction.

  1. What is an Appeal Board reviewing when it hears an appeal like this?
  2. What happened to the two grounds?
  3. What does the outcome tell you about appealing a sanction rather than a finding?
Exercise 3intermediate

Five clubs at the door

The Premier League v Everton FC; applicants Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Leicester City, Burnley

Premier League Commission (David Phillips KC, chair, sitting alone) · PLJP 2023/3, ruling on intervention applications · 2023-05-09

While the League's complaint against a club was pending, five rival clubs applied to join the proceedings. They wanted to take part, seek disclosure and press for expedition, because they believed the breach had cost them.

  1. Where does a Commission's power come from?
  2. Could the clubs be joined as parties to the complaint?
  3. What route did the chair say protects their interests?
Exercise 4starter

All disputes means all disputes

Fulham Football Club (1987) Ltd v Sir David Richards and The Football Association Premier League Ltd

Court of Appeal (Rix, Longmore and Patten LJJ) · Fulham Football Club (1987) Ltd v Richards [2011] EWCA Civ 855 · 2011-07-21

A club petitioned the court under the Companies Act, complaining of unfair prejudice in the League's affairs through the conduct of its chairman. The respondents asked the court to stay the petition because the League's rules send disputes to arbitration.

  1. What does section 9 of the Arbitration Act 1996 require the court to do?
  2. Did the League's arbitration clause cover this dispute?
  3. What kind of remedy did the Court treat as beyond an arbitrator?
Exercise 5advanced

The High Court says no

Manchester City Football Club Ltd v The Football Association Premier League Ltd and others

Court of Appeal (Vos MR, Flaux C, Males LJ) · Manchester City Football Club Ltd v Football Association Premier League Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 1110 · 2021-07-20

A club challenged a Section X tribunal under sections 67 and 68. The High Court dismissed both challenges and refused permission to appeal. It also decided to publish its judgments. The club appealed to the Court of Appeal.

  1. Could the Court of Appeal hear an appeal against the dismissal of the section 67 and 68 challenges?
  2. Then how could it hear anything at all?
  3. What did it decide about publication, and why?
Exercise 6advanced

When does prosecution start?

Manchester City FC v UEFA

Court of Arbitration for Sport (Santos, McDougall, Haas) · CAS 2020/A/6785 · 2020-07-13

UEFA's procedural rules bar 'prosecution' after five years. The club said prosecution meant the sanction, in February 2020; UEFA said it meant the opening of the investigation, in March 2019. The difference decided which seasons could be charged.

  1. Which reading did the majority adopt?
  2. What was the cut-off date as a result?
  3. Why is this a UEFA point, not a Premier League one?

As at 2026-10-07. Rules are cited by Premier League Handbook edition and rule number; decisions and judgments by date and paragraph; commentary is attributed and never stated as the law. probative.io is a research and investigations practice, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice; nothing here is a view on any particular matter.

← Part 3 · Money, and who else is affected — Section 10: Can another club recover its losses?