The English Football League (EFL) have charged Southampton with breaching their regulations around attempting to observe another club’s training session after receiving a complaint from Middlesbrough ahead of their Championship play-off semi-final first leg. Boro allege that the Saints unauthorisedly filmed on their private property within 72 hours of their match at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, in breach of EFL Regulation 127, which the league will refer to an independent disciplinary commission.
Southampton have already received a request for their observations on the matter and could have less than the standard 14 days to respond after being charged under EFL Regulations, because the league says it has asked the commission for a shortened response period. The EFL are also calling for a hearing at the earliest opportunity, given the nature of this matter, with the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium scheduled to take place a day after that fortnight response period, which will feature one of the clubs in question.
The EFL statement released at 10pm on Friday reads: “Southampton Football Club has today been charged with a breach of EFL Regulations, and the matter will be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission. This follows a request from the EFL for the Club’s observations after a complaint from Middlesbrough relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property ahead of the two Clubs meeting in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg.
“The charges relate to the following Regulations: ”EFL Regulation 3.4, which requires Clubs to act towards each other with the utmost good faith; and EFL Regulation 127, which prohibits any Club from observing, or attempting to observe, another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two Clubs.
“Under EFL Regulations, Southampton would ordinarily have 14 days to respond to the charges. However, given the nature of the matter, the EFL will ask the Independent Disciplinary Commission to shorten the response period and to list a hearing at the earliest opportunity. The League will make no further comment whilst proceedings are ongoing.”