English football club Chelsea has been officially charged by the English Football Association (FA) for 74 alleged violations of rules related to agents, intermediaries and third-party investment in players.
The allegations cover a long period from 2009 to 2022, with a particular focus on the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons, when the club was still owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
"In total, 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC," the FA said in a statement on their official website.
Chelsea have been given until September 19 to provide a formal response to the charges.
The alleged breaches primarily relate to incomplete financial reporting related to agent transactions, including the purchases of players such as Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o and Willian.
The FA's investigation is part of a wider process, in which Chelsea have opened their financial books fully to the relevant authorities, including the Premier League, which is also investigating a similar case.
Chelsea responded shortly after, stating that the issue had been voluntarily reported by the new management following the club's acquisition in May 2022 by a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
"The Club's ownership group completed the purchase of the club on 30 May 2022. During the thorough due diligence process prior to the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potential financial reporting deficiencies relating to historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules. Immediately following the purchase, the Club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA," Chelseafc said in a statement on its official website.
The club emphasized their commitment to full transparency, including providing comprehensive access to archives and historical data.
"We will continue to work with the FA to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. We would like to express our gratitude to the FA for their engagement with the Club in this complex case, which has focused on matters that occurred over a decade ago."
