Coventry City and the EFL have reached an ‘Agreed Decision’ regarding disciplinary sanctions following the postponement of games earlier this season – namely the home fixtures against Rotherham United, Wigan Athletic and Huddersfield Town.
The games were postponed due to the unsafe and unplayable condition of the pitch at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Due to this, Coventry City were charged with failing to comply with EFL Regulations 32, 33.1 and Appendix 1, Part 3, Regulations 2.1 and 27.4. These regulations can be viewed on the EFL website.
Regulation 86 allows the EFL and a Club to enter an 'Agreed Decision' where it is appropriate in the circumstances to conclude a matter effectively and equitably without referring the matter to a Disciplinary Commission.
Accordingly, the EFL Board invited Coventry City to consider the following proposed sanction in respect of the Charges:
- Subject to paragraph 4, a five (5) point deduction to be suspended for the remainder of the 2022/2023 season and the 2023/2024 season.
- The Club shall pay the EFL’s costs of this investigation in the sum of £6,000.
- The Club shall also pay such compensation due to Huddersfield Town FC, Wigan Athletic FC and Rotherham United FC in accordance with Regulation 32.4.
- The suspended points deduction shall be applied immediately upon any charge being proven, or admitted, relating to any further missed fixture of the Club in the 2022/2023 season and/or 2023/2024 season.
- This agreed decision shall be published on EFL.com
Coventry City have accepted the Proposed Sanction.
Dave Boddy, Coventry City Chief Executive, said:
“Our supporters will know that we were left with a pitch at the Arena that was unsafe, dangerous and unplayable for our first games of the season, following the broken promises of a new pitch by Wasps, and the extensive usage at the Commonwealth Games Rugby 7s.
“The debacle they caused - and the cashflow problems, reputational damage and inconvenience they created for the Football Club, as well as impacting upon our sporting performance and our supporters - should have been an indication to us all of the financial plight they were facing.
“Despite the nature of our tenancy at the Arena, and the lack of any control of pitch maintenance at the Arena, it remains our responsibility as an EFL club to adhere to the regulations of the competition.
“We have accepted the decision of the EFL and the sanctions imposed on us, to minimise the sanctions that would imposed upon us, with the point deduction being suspended.
“We hope that this draws a line under this and that this is a situation that should never be repeated at the Arena.”