Barcelona to serve two-window
transfer ban as FIFA rejects
appeal
FIFA has announced that the appeal lodged by
Barcelona against the transfer ban imposed on
them earlier this year has been rejected,
meaning the Catalans must now serve a two-
window suspension.
The Catalans were punished back in April after they
were found to be in breach of art. 19 of Fifa
regulations - which states international transfers of
players are only permitted if the player is over the
age of 18, bar three exceptions - in the case of 10
minor players, while they were also found guilty of
further infringements.
Barca will now see out two consecutive transfer
windows, beginning in January 2015, without being
able to complete any transfers.
"The Fifa Appeal Committee has decided to reject
the appeals lodged by Barcelona and the Real
Federacion Espanola de Futbol (RFEF) and to confirm
in their entirety the decisions rendered by the Fifa
Disciplinary Committee in the respective cases
relating to the protection of minors," a Fifa
statement reads.
"As such, Barcelona are to serve a transfer ban which
will see the club prevented from registering any
players at both national and international level for
two complete and consecutive transfer periods,
starting with the next registration period (January
2015) given that the appeal of the club had been
granted suspensive effect by the chairman of the Fifa
Appeal Committee.
"Barcelona have also been ordered to pay a fine of
CHF 450,000 (€371,000) and been given a period of
90 days from August 20 in which to regularise the
situation of all minor players concerned."
The Camp Nou side's appeal against the ban was
initially granted suspensive effect, allowing them to
secure the signings of Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic,
Jeremy Mathieu, Thomas Vermaelen, Marc-Andre
ter Stegen, Claudio Bravo and Alen Halilovic this
summer.
Meanwhile, Fifa's Appeal Committee has also upheld
the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF)'s punishment
in the same case.
With regard to the RFEF, the Disciplinary Committee
previously determined that the association had also
violated art. 19 of the regulations and other
provisions in the context of the transfer and first
registration of certain minor players.
"The RFEF has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF
500,000 (€413,000) and granted a period of one year
in which to regularise their regulatory framework
and existing system concerning the international
transfer of minors in football," the Fifa statement
continues.
"The terms of the decisions taken by the Fifa Appeal
Committee were communicated to Barcelona and
the RFEF on Wednesday."
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon