FIFA the international football governing body has banned the English Premier league club Chelsea FC, from making new signings after it was found guilty of breaking foreign players’ rules of under 18 years.
Chelsea FC will no longer sign players until 2020, summer window. But they are allowed to conduct free transfers and recall players from loan.
“The Disciplinary Committee sanctioned Chelsea with a ban on registering new players at both National and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods,” FIFA’s statement.
“This ban applies to the club as a whole with the exception of the women’s and futsal teams and does not prevent the release of players,” FIFA added.
This came after FIFA’s investigation into the method applied by Chelsea in making recruitments within its Academy. FIFA conducted a review in over 100 young player cases at the London based club before arriving on this conclusion.
FIFA on Friday morning released a statement on Chelsea saying that: “breached art. 19 of the regulations in the case of twenty-nine (29) minor players and to have committed several other offences relating to registration requirement for players. Also breached art. 18bis of the regulations in connection with two agreements it concluded concerning minors and which allowed it to influence other clubs in transfer related matters.”
Relatedly, on top of the ban, a fine of $599.000. was charged on the Blues and given a period of 90 days to regularise the situation of the minor players concerned.
Which reportedly includes Burkina Faso striker Bertrand Traore.
Responding to the ban Chelsea said in a statement released that they are going to appeal against FIFA’s resolution on their case. A move believed to stand a fair chance of at least overturning the ban.
“We welcome the fact that FIFA has accepted that there was no breach in relation to 63 of these players, but the club is extremely disappointed that FIFA has not accepted the clubs’ submissions in relation to the remaining 29 players. Chelsea FC acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and will shortly be submitting its appeal to FIFA.
The news of the ban is a serious blow to Chelsea who had glided to sixth in the premier league after losing five of their last 10 games in all games.
The London based club manager Maurizio Sarri took over in July, and is already under pressure. And whether he survives or not at the end of the season, squad strengthening will be required for Chelsea.
And now, by contesting the ban Chelsea would delay the sanction and in the end of the season it will be able to make transfers while FIFA’s appeal Committee hears the appeal.
Chelsea was spotted by FIFA, after a French investigative website Media part, one of the outlets that publishes documents collected by football leaks and cooperated with FIFA investigation Committee.
FIFA rules and regulations over the transfer of under 18s.
According to FIFA the rules are set to protect these youngsters against trafficking and exploitation.
18 year or under players can only be transferred on condition. One- if players’ parents emigrated for not football reasons.
Two- both clubs are in the EU or European Economic Area and the player is between 16&18 years of age or resides within 100km of the new club.
This is not the first time FIFA is banning a club.
In 2014, Barcelona was banned for two windows but delayed it by six months after an appeal, which allowed them to sign in Luis Suarez from Liverpool and Sevilla player Ivan Rwakitic. Although the case was later dismissed.
Which enabled Barcelona to win in the next season in the Champions League, La liga and Copa del Rey.
In 2016, Real Madrid was banned, but after a successful appeal it was reduced to six month missing only the January 2017, transfer window.
Again in 2016, FIFA banned Atletico Madrid, for a year, after unsuccessful appeal, which made them miss out the January 2017, transfer window.
