The British competition authorities punished Leicester City on Wednesday after coming to the conclusion that the football team and retailer JD Sports JD.L colluded to reduce competition in the sales of branded sports equipment, including replica shirts.
The club, which was demoted from the Premier League in May, might face a fine of up to 880,000 pounds ($1.12 million), according to the Competition and Markets Authority.
“We have provisionally found that Leicester City FC and JD Sports colluded to share out markets and fix prices – with the result that fans may have ended up paying more than they would otherwise have done,” the CMA said of the club which won the Premier League in the 2015-16 season.
In an independent announcement, JD Sports confirmed that it had informed the regulatory body about the football club's actions in 2021. This proactive measure granted the prominent sports retailer immunity from potential fines imposed by the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority).
Furthermore, JD Sports emphasized that none of its present or former directors or senior management had any involvement in the offense, which occurred between 2018 and 2021. The company stated that it had fully cooperated with the investigation, demonstrating its commitment to transparency and compliance.
