Lausanne: FIFA on Wednesday banned Spanish giants Barcelona from buying players for the next two transfer windows for “serious” breaches of rules on under-age players.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found Barcelona and the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) guilty of making or allowing illegal deals.
As well as the transfer ban, which will effectively last 14 months, FIFA fined Barcelona 450,000 Swiss francs, (Rs 3.04 crore).
The Spanish champions were given 90 days to regularise the situation of all 10 minor players concerned.
A Barcelona source said they were analysing the situation and would make a statement at the appropriate time, but the club are expected to appeal against the shock sanction.
Any appeal would have to be lodged with FIFA’s Appeal Committee within three days and the club could take the case to the Court of Arbritration for Sport as a final measure.
The ban is a new blow to the image of Europe’s most successful club of the 21st Century following alleged tax evasion in its signing of star Brazilian Neymar.
If upheld, the ban would have serious consequences for Barcelona, especially with veterans Carles Puyol and injured goalkeeper Victor Valdes set to leave in June.
The Catalans were expected to complete the signing of German international goalkeeper Andre Ter-Stegen to replace Valdes.
Croatian international Alen Halilovic’s move to the club, officially announced last week, could also now be put on hold.
In 2010, FIFA imposed a similar transfer window ban against Chelsea over the signing of French youngster Gael Kakuta. It was overturned after Chelsea reached an agreement with the player’s former club Lens.
The dramatic sanction follows an investigation last year by FIFA, whose rules state that a player has to be 18 to be transferred, unless the player falls into one of three specific cases.
FIFA fined the Spanish federation 500,000 Swiss francs (Rs 3.38 crore) for their role in the under-age affair and gave them one year to modify rules concerning international transfers of minors.
Both Barcelona and the Spanish federation were found guilty of illegal deals involving “the international transfer and first registration of non-Spanish minors with the club”.
The world body looked at cases involving players signed by Barcelona between 2009 and 2013. (AFP)
