Leeds United have been hit with fines of over £500,000 this season after being sanctioned by the Premier League for late kick-offs and restarts.
The Premier League has confirmed that they and the Whites have enterted into a 'sanction agreement' after the club breached Rule L.33 nine times this season in relation to kick-offs and half-time restarts.
A league statement said: "Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organisation of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard, while providing certainty to fans and participating clubs. It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule."
According to the sanction agreement, Leeds accepted causing a delay to the kick-off of a league match and/or the restart after the interval without good reason on nine separate occasions. The games involved included Elland Road meetings with Everton, Newcastle United and Fulham, and away trips at Fulham, Burnley, Brighton and Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Brentford.
Leeds accepted responsibility for delays of between one minute 17 seconds and two minutes 50 seconds. For the Everton home game and away days at Brighton and Forest, Leeds caused delays to both kick-off and the restart. Each occasion carries a financial penalty, with the sum starting at £10,000 for a first offence and progressing to £100,000 for their eighth transgression. The fines due after the home game against Fulham was delayed by just under 90 seconds amounted to £530,000 in total.
The agreement said: "The club has accepted and apologised for the breaches and confirmed that improvement in respect of Rule L.33 has become a key objective for the club, with staff and players working hard towards improving compliance."
The terms of the agreement state that Leeds will be fined £100,000 for any further delay to kick-off or restarts of between a minute and one minute 30 seconds. Should delays creep over 90 seconds, Leeds will be fined £130,000. Delays in excess of two minutes will carry a £170,000 fine. There will be additional cumulative sums of £20,000 for each successive breach, on top of the fines set out previously, though caps of £200,000 and £250,000 will be applied to fines for delays of up to two minutes and 30 seconds, and in excess of two minutes 30 seconds respectively.
Leeds United were approached for comment.
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