EFL confirm points deduction handed to Wigan Athletic

EFL confirm a three points deduction as been handed to Championship side Wigan Athletic for failing to pay player salaries in March.

The Latics were previously given a suspended penalty for a similar breach, and were sanctioned and charged with failing to comply with the terms of contracts for the months of June, July, and October 2022.

The suspended sanction came into effect by the January agreement with the league organisation and for non-compliance and failure to pay, so now new charges have been issued.

Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi, the owner of the property, will be also charged with misconduct. An independent disciplinary committee will handle the case.

Wigan, who had already been bottom of the table, are immediately deducted three points. This leaves them eight points behind Cardiff, who sit just outside the drop zone.

Boss Shaun Maloney described the delays as a “body blow” for his staff, who were trying to avoid dropping from second tier after winning the League One title last season.

EFL Statement: Wigan Athletic#EFL https://t.co/zXYvxZFWDm

— EFL Communications (@EFL_Comms) March 20, 2023

EFL STATEMENT:

Wigan Athletic has, with immediate effect, been deducted three points from the 2022/23 Championship table after the Club failed to pay player salaries again in March 2023.

The Club had previously been charged and sanctioned for failing to adhere to the terms of the Standard Contracts that were in force between the Club and its Players in the months of June 2022, July 2022 and October 2022.

This latest infringement by the Club to meet its obligations means the terms of theAgreed Decision the Club entered into with the EFL in January 2023 has been breached and the application of the suspended sporting sanction has been automatically triggered.

In a further breach of the Agreed Decision, the Club’s owner has failed to deposit an amount equal to 125% of its forecast monthly wage bill in a designated Club account. This had been a key term of the Agreed Decision to help prevent the Club breaching EFL Regulations again, should there be future delays in the processing of overseas payments.

Separately, new charges have now been issued to the Club following this latest instance of non-payment of player wages and for not complying with the Agreed Decision. The Club’s owner will also be charged with misconduct, with the matter to be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission.

WIGAN STATEMENT:

WIGAN ATHLETIC DEDUCTED THREE POINTS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT FOLLOWING FAILURE TO PAY PLAYER SALARIES WHILST FURTHER CHARGES REFERRED TO AN INDEPENDENT DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION.

– Wigan Athletic deducted three points with immediate effect by the EFL

– Club also charged with misconduct after failing to meet Agreed Decision terms

– Further charges referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission
The EFL has informed Wigan Athletic that it has, with immediate effect, been deducted three points from the 2022/23 Championship table after the Club has failed to pay player salaries in March 2023.

The Club had previously been charged and sanctioned for failing to adhere to the terms of the Standard Contracts that were in force between the Club and its Players in the months of June 2022, July 2022 and October 2022.

This latest infringement by the Club to meet its obligations means the terms of the Agreed Decision the Club entered into with the EFL in January 2023 has been breached and the application of the suspended sporting sanction has been automatically triggered.

In a further breach of the Agreed Decision, the Club’s owner has failed to deposit an amount equal to 125% of its forecast monthly wage bill in a designated Club account. This had been a key term of the Agreed Decision to help prevent the Club breaching EFL Regulations again, should there be future delays in the processing of overseas payments.

Separately, new charges have now been issued to the Club following this latest instance of non-payment of player wages and for not complying with the Agreed Decision. The Club’s owner will also be charged with misconduct, with the matter to be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission.

The Club notes the EFL statement and charge and will issue a further update on the current wage situation in due course.

“Shaun Maloney deserves a lot of respect” 👏

Wigan’s players still haven’t been paid!

Despite that, they managed to get a point away at Watford this past weekend.@RyanDilks1 thinks it shows Shaun Maloney is a real leader of this team👇#WAFC pic.twitter.com/SSze81elKF

— The Second Tier (@secondtierpod) March 20, 2023

This is what fans had to say as EFL confirm a points deduction has been handed to Wigan Athletic…

@dhassallwafc: What’s a fit and proper owners test?

@stevetannWAFC: Are you going to charge yourselves with misconduct too? After all you passed these owners as fit and proper didn’t you. Shame the EFL aren’t fit and proper

@laticsfan1985: Owners charged with misconduct…. ironically the efl said they were fit and proper 🤣🤣

@ScouseTic: Congratulations to Wigan Athletic on winning the 2023/24 EFL League One Title! 🎉 #wafc

@becckk_: I’m sure the owners are bothered too… The only people that this is punishing are the people who haven’t been paid yet continue to do their job and the fans. Surely it’s time that EFL sanctions impact those responsible instead of the innocent parties. #wafc

@hd_ng: The EFL is an absolute joke of an organisation.

@samsd58: This was bound to happen. The last few years have been chaos with this club and it’s a shame that things outside of the players’ and staff’s control are damning them yet again 😔

@Bluenose_Andy: Well that’s virtually relegated Wigan, leaving them on 31 points, 8 points from safety. Morale can’t be at its highest when players aren’t getting paid too.

@harveyo01: Not deflecting blame at all, but would be interesting to know what oversight the EFL had of the 125%, given the previous ‘Agreed Decision’ said that there were ‘reporting obligations’ on the club around it.

@jm_bell95: Precarious position now for Wigan you feel, it’s no longer about survival in the Championship but back to surviving as a club which is what no supporter should ever go through let alone twice in a couple of years 😓 It’s the supporters and staff yet again made to suffer 🙃 #wafc

@scottpompey: Can’t wait till next season in league one when they once again out spend the whole division and admin will once again happen the following year 🙄

@Tony_Gee21: EFL fucked us over with the previous owners. Then passed these guys as fit and proper? Fans losing out every single time… #WAFC

@HindsonGeorge: Not sure who’s more of a mess, the Tics or the EFL. Shambles.

@sugarspunemily: Completely get this just shite that it’s the fans and players who suffer and not the owners themselves with a points dedication when it’s their doing 🙂

@WafcSean: Obviously sound. However it’s just crap. The players haven’t been paid yet it’s them that get their work wrote off. The EFL deemed the owners fit and proper 2 years ago. Footballs in a right mess. As are the tics. #wafc

@TomOz89: The last few years seems to have been a constant source of financial grievance for Wigan fans. Further examples of the EFL fit and proper persons checks for prospective owners being farcical.

@dbsw1ftt: Upset and fuming at same time, how has it really got out of hand ! Feel sorry for all the fans, players and coaches. Worked so hard past few months and what a shit show its turned out ! Thanks @TalalAlHammad32 👎👎👎 #WAFC