FIFA have made an official statement on Chelsea’s transfer ban.
Chelsea’s appeal to relieve them from transfer ban has been rejected by the World’s Football Committee. The Blues were hit with the transfer ban earlier this February and their appeal has not come to their aid as FIFA make an official statement.
A statement from world football’s governing body on Wednesday declared: “The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to partially uphold the appeal lodged by Chelsea FC against the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to sanction the club with a ban on registering new players at both national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods.
“With respect to all men’s teams, the ban on registering new players, both nationally and internationally for two registration periods, has been confirmed by the FIFA Appeal Committee, with the following exception:
“The FIFA Appeal Committee believes that Chelsea’s wrongdoing consisted in not respecting the prohibition from internationally transferring or registering for the first time foreign minor players. In the committee´s opinion, imposing a ban on registering each and every minor would not be proportionate to the offence committed.
“Consequently, the FIFA Appeal Committee decided that, as far as youth categories are concerned, the ban shall not cover the registration of minor players under the age of 16 who do not fall under the scope of art. 19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which refers to international transfers and first registrations of foreign minor players.
“Additionally, the FIFA Appeal Committee confirmed the fine of CHF 600,000. The decision issued by the FIFA Appeal Committee was notified today.”
This marks the end for Chelsea, who will not be able to sign any players for the next two transfer windows.
Here’s how Twitter reacted..
BREAKING: Chelsea’s appeal against a one-year transfer ban has been rejected by FIFA pic.twitter.com/AFfJ2Wr5eA
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 8, 2019
Fifa’s Appeal Committee has rejected #CFC‘s appeal against a two-window transfer ban (with the exception of minors). The club now have the option to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to see if the ruling can be overturned, or the ban delayed. https://t.co/M2mmg0jiSo
— Dominic Fifield (@domfifield) May 8, 2019
Chelsea have lost their appeal against Fifa’s decision to ban them from signing players during the next two transfer windows.
More: https://t.co/9j4LcLIUvA pic.twitter.com/hXoHJiAzrP
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 8, 2019
Fifa were never expected to overturn their own ruling on appeal so it was always about whether or not a decision could be reached in time for Chelsea to go to CAS before the summer window, which is what they will now do #cfc
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) May 8, 2019
Fifa have announced, following an appeal, they have upheld Chelsea’s two-window transfer ban, but the club can sign players under the age of 16 during the ban. Chelsea can now go to CAS to try to get the ban frozen and overturned #cfc
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) May 8, 2019
What’s next?
Chelsea will appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport to see if the ruling can be overturned, or the ban delayed.