West Ham Fined £5.5 Million

West Ham have been fined £5.5 million by the hearing into the signing of Tevez and Mascherano but have escaped a points deduction. The hearing report also said "the registration of Carlos Tevez can be terminated". However, the Premier League has yet to confirm if it will.

West Ham have issued the following statement,

"West Ham received a fair hearing. The club's submission that the contracts gave no actual influence to any third party was accepted by the commission.

"The club regrets the fact that they fell foul of the FA Premier League regulations, but the new owners of the club now want to focus on matters on the pitch and remaining in the Premier League. The threat of a points deduction has now been removed and the club's fate remains in its own hands.

"The club believes that promotion and relegation issues should be decided on the pitch and we are pleased that the commission agree with that view.

"The club will reflect on the financial penalty that has been imposed and will take advice before commenting on the possibility of an appeal or any further steps that might be taken."

The £5.5 million fine is a record for the Premier League and seems wildly disproportionate to the actual supposed crime.