Inter Miami CF avoid points penalty but receive $2 million fine
NEW YORK — Major League Soccer handed down a fine to Inter Miami CF and managing owner Jorge Mas along with individual and team sanctions for the club breaching the salary cap in the 2020 season. Most significantly there was no points deduction for the offenses last year.
In the investigation MLS discovered that the offenses were even worse than first uncovered, with both Blaise Matuidi (who was known) and Andres Reyes incorrectly classified and should have been classed as Designated Players, meaning the club had five of the allowed three on the books. On top of that Miami paid Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Nicolas Figal, and Julian Carranza off the books.
With such a robust cheating scheme fans of the Herons must be wondering how their team did so terribly, managing only a 10th place finish. That should also lead to questions of the club’s recruitment policies, with a whopping five players overpaid but still finishing outside of the playoffs picture. One thing that is encouraging in that is that the then sporting director was Paul McDonough who has already left the club.
“The integrity of our rules is sacrosanct, and it is a fundamental principle of our league that our clubs are responsible for adhering to all league regulations,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber in a press release, ignoring the prior times the league has changed rules to accommodate LA Galaxy. “Our rules will not be compromised. These sanctions reflect the severity of Inter Miami’s violations, should encourage complete cooperation by all parties in future investigations and will serve as a deterrent for clubs from violating roster rules.”
McDonough has faced an individual sanction, getting suspended until the end of the 2022 season. The then COO had moved to Atlanta United FC but has now been removed from the club, departing by mutual consent since he cannot participate in the league.
The other individual sanctioned is Mas, who has received a $250,000 fine sure to be a drop in the ocean for a man who is paid $4.4 million annually.
MLS made a note that none of the players will be penalized and their “current contracts will remain in force”. Presumably, that means the permitted contacts, which means Pirez, Figal, and Carranza will all have to take pay cuts as they won’t be permitted to take their off-the-books payment in 2021. Despite that, the league is saying the players won’t be penalized, but all three of these players are certainly taking a pay cut as a result which would be considered as a penalty for anyone in any other profession.
On top of those penalties, Miami has been handed a $2,271,250 reduction to its allocation budgets in 2022 and 2023 effectively tying Head Coach Phil Neville’s hands.
In the release MLS made a point to note that none of the other owners had committed any offenses, clearing David Beckham of any wrongdoing. The punishment phase isn’t entirely completed as Inter will now have to send its compliance plans to the league office by Monday.
This story originally featured at Florida Soccer Report.
