Barcelona Receives Player Signing Ban For Two Consecutive Transfer Windows, Effective Immediately

Due to their failure to follow rules laid out regarding the transfer of players under the age of 18, La Liga giants Barcelona were slapped with a significant player signing ban that could have a serious impact on the club’s immediate future. Announcing Wednesday that the Catalan club will be banned from making signings for two consecutive transfer periods, FIFA found the organization -- and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) -- to be guilty of multiple violations regarding the moving of international players and registration of foreign talents. Effective immediately, the ban now means that Barca will not be able to bring outside players in during the upcoming summer transfer window and following winter period of 2015.

Last February, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association discovered that the defending Spanish Primera Division champions failed to meet expected transfer rules and placed a heavy band on multiple players from the club’s Cadete and Juvenil youth squads. South Korean talents Lee Seung-Woo, Paik Seung-Ho and Jang Gyeolhee along with Theo Chendri, Bobby Adekanye and Patrice Sousia were able to continue training with their sides but due to the punishment, these youngsters were not permitted to play in any regulation matches. Issuing a statement regarding their findings, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee said their findings were enough to hand down penalties for both parties.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) and Spanish club FC Barcelona for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18,” the statement read. "FC Barcelona has been found to be in breach of art. 19 of the Regulations in the case of 10 minor players and to have committed several other concurrent infringements in the context of other players, including under Annexe 2 of the Regulations. The Disciplinary Committee regarded the infringements as serious and decided to sanction the club with a transfer ban at both national and international level for two complete and consecutive transfer periods, together with a fine of $508,000."

“Additionally, the club was granted a period of 90 days in which to regularize the situation of all minor players concerned,” the statement continued. “With regard to the RFEF, the Disciplinary Committee determined that the association had also violated art. 19 of the Regulations and other provisions in the context of the transfer and first registration of certain minor players. In this respect, the RFEF was sanctioned with a fine of CHF 500,000 and granted a period of one year in which to regularize their regulatory framework and existing system concerning the international transfer of minors in football.”

With seven matches remaining in the 2013-2014 La Liga season, Barcelona currently finds themselves one point back of table-leading Atletico Madrid and two clear of Real Madrid. The international giants are also locked in a 1-1 draw with Atletico following an opening leg thriller in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.