• Premier League

City hit back at PFA over Tevez stance

ESPN staff
October 27, 2011

Manchester City have accused the Professional Footballers Association of a "conflict of interest" after the PFA refused to sanction a four-week fine for striker Carlos Tevez.

City have reluctantly accepted the PFA's decision to block Tevez's four-week fine for breach of contract.

Without the PFA's sanction a two-week fine is the maximum which can be imposed. As City wished to fine Tevez double that amount they had to go to the players' body for approval, but the PFA on Thursday insisted that the player was not found guilty of refusing to play and as such only a two-week fine was acceptable.

"Manchester City Football Club has received notification from the players' union (PFA) that it will not support a four-week fine as a penalty for the actions of misconduct of Carlos Tevez," read a statement on the club's official website. "The club acknowledges that the players' union is the sole organisation empowered with granting the ability for clubs to levy fines greater than the two weeks provided for in player contracts.

"However, Manchester City is disappointed by the apparent PFA conflict of interest evident in this process. Carlos Tevez has been personally represented throughout by the PFA chief executive, on whose considerations the club has been informed that the PFA has made its decision.

"Manchester City has been in constant dialogue with the PFA since September 28. Today's PFA decision is a departure from the club's understanding of that dialogue. Without recourse to the PFA decision available, the maximum two-week fine provided for in standard player contracts will now be applied in relation to the misconduct of Carlos Tevez."

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