Nottingham Forest’s Appeal to Overturn Four-Point Deduction Fails: The Legal Details

Nottingham Forest’s efforts to have their four-point deduction for breaching Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSRs) overturned have been unsuccessful. The club, which was hoping to see points reinstated after the ruling, will remain on 29 points, just three points above the relegation zone with two games left to play.

An independent Appeal Board has upheld the decision of a Commission to deduct four points from Nottingham Forest due to a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The sanction was applied to the assessment period ending Season 2022/23 and the club appealed on two grounds. However, both grounds were rejected by the Appeal Board and the four-point deduction will stand.

Nottingham Forest argued that the Commission erred in not considering the sale of a high-profile player after the assessment period as a mitigating factor. They also claimed that the Commission should have suspended some or all of the points deduction it imposed. The Appeal Board determined that the Commission was within its rights to impose the sanction immediately.

Appeal Boards are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The Appeal Board in this case consisted of Rt Hon Lord Dyson, David Phillips KC, and Daniel Alexander KC, each appointed by independent Chair of Premier League Judicial Panel. To read more about this case, click here