Soccer

Barcelona appeal against transfer ban dismissed

Catalan club unable to sign a player in 2015 after Court of Arbitration for sport upholds ban

FC Barcelona have had their two-window transfer ban upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after appeal (Photograph: INPHO/Donall Farmer)
FC Barcelona have had their two-window transfer ban upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after appeal (Photograph: INPHO/Donall Farmer)
Tue Dec 30 2014 - 14:08

Barcelona will not be allowed to sign any players in 2015 after the Catalan club’s appeal against their transfer ban was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Primera Division outfit turned to CAS in August after Fifa rejected their appeal to overturn a two-window ban, which was handed to them by world football’s governing body in April due to concerns over the ”international transfer of minors”.

But their quest hit a further dead end on Tuesday, meaning they will be unable to bring in any new blood until January 2016.

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by FC Barcelona against the Federation Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) regarding the decision issued by the Fifa appeals committee on 19 August 2014," a statement from CAS read.

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“In such decision, the Spanish football club was sanctioned with a transfer ban for two periods, a fine of €375,000 and a reprimand after it was found to have infringed the Fifa regulations with respect to the registration of a number of minor players.”

Barcelona were found guilty of breaching FIFA’s rules on the transfer of players aged under 18. The players in question were registered and participated in competitions with the Catalan club between 2009 and 2013.

The CAS statement continued: “The panel found in particular that FC Barcelona had breached the rules regarding the protection of minors and the registration of minors attending football academies (articles 19 and 19bis of the Fifa regulations on the status and transfer of players).

“Accordingly, the Fifa decision is confirmed in full and the sanction remains in force.

“In view of the need to issue a decision before the opening of the next transfer window, the panel has issued its decision without the grounds. The full arbitral award, with the reasons for the panel’s decision, will be issued as soon as possible.”

Barca went on a summer spending spree this year while the suspension went on hold during the appeals process, splashing out more than 150million euros on Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Thomas Vermaelen, Claudio Bravo, Jeremy Mathieu and Alen Halilovic.

But there will be no further new recruits heading to the Nou Camp for at least 12 months, with the CAS ruling the final word on the matter.