FIFA rejects Madrid, Atletico transfer ban appeals

The FIFA Appeal Committee has rejected the appeals lodged by Spanish clubs Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid against transfer bans imposed by FIFA.

The two clubs had been charged with breaching FIFA regulations relating to the protection and transfer of minors.

“As such, both clubs are to serve a transfer ban that prevents them from registering any players at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods for breaching articles 5, 9, 19 and 19bis as well as annexes 2 and 3 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (the “Regulations”).

The transfer ban applies to each club as a whole – with the exception of the women’s, futsal and beach soccer teams – and does not prevent the release of players,” read part of the statement on the world football governing body’s website.

“Additionally, Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid have been fined CHF 900,000 (Ksh 93.7million) and CHF 360,000 (Ksh 37.5million) respectively, while both clubs have been issued with a reprimand and a warning and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned.

The grounds of the decisions taken by the FIFA Appeal Committee were communicated to the parties concerned today.”

Fellow Spanish giants, FC Barcelona, suffered the same fate in 2014 after the Catalan club were given a transfer ban for 14 months for breaching rules on signing players younger than 18 years of age.

-Additional Information sourced from fifa.com