Who polices football and how are clubs punished?

A Southampton analyst was filmed hiding behind a tree while observing a Middlesbrough training session before the clubs' Championship play-off tie [Other] Southampton Football Club was kicked out of the Championship play-offs for spying on the training sessions of its rivals. The English Football League (EFL) penalised Saints - who had made it to the final of the competition - for filming sessions involving three of its opponents. But who is responsible for policing misconduct in football, and what powers do the sport's governing bodies actually have?

As the Football Association (FA) launches its own investigation into the Southampton case, here is how football's disciplinary system works. What did Southampton Football Club do? Southampton were expelled from the Championship play-offs after admitting breaches of EFL regulations [Getty Images] An analyst for Southampton FC was spotted hiding behind a tree and filming a Middlesbrough FC training session two days before the clubs went head-to-head in a Championship play-off tie.

When members of staff at Middlesbrough confronted the man, he fled to a nearby golf club and changed his clothes before leaving the area. Middlesbrough then reported the incident to the English Football League, which launched an investigation. Southampton admitted filming the training session, as well as sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April.

On Tuesday, an independent EFL disciplinary commission expelled Southampton from the play-offs and handed the club a four-point deduction for next season. The commission also reinstated Middlesbrough, who had lost 2-1 to Saints on aggregate in the semi-finals. Southampton described the punishment as an "extremely disappointing outcome" but said it was "clear that trust now needs to be rebuilt".