Chelsea appeal FIFA transfer ban

Chelsea have appealed against a one-year transfer ban imposed by FIFA – but must wait to discover whether it will be temporarily lifted.

The Londoners were found guilty of breaching rules on signing overseas players under the age of 18.

They were banned from signing new players for two transfer windows and handed a fine of 600,000 Swiss francs. Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have all been sanctioned for similar offences. 

The next window does not officially open for almost another three months but – with FIFA giving no indication of when the appeal committee may sit – it leaves the club in limbo for the time being.

We can confirm that FIFA has received an appeal from Chelsea FC over the said case, a FIFA spokesman said.

As a general rule we do not make comparisons with previous cases. There is no exact timetable for the hearings and decisions taken by the FIFA appeal committee.

DO CHELSEA ACTUALLY HAVE GROUNDS TO APPEAL?

Perhaps.

It is unlikely that there are grounds to get the sanction overturned but there is precedent – more on that later – that the club might be able to get the sanction reduced, or even delayed. 

The FA were also found to be in breach of FIFA regulations in connection to the registration of minors, which, according to reports, could give the club’s appeal weight. Furthermore, Chelsea could appeal the severity of the sanction, given the fact that over 100 transfers were investigated, with 'just' 29 found to be in breach. 

Should the FIFA Appeal Committee throw out the appeal, the club could escalate their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

PREVIOUS PRECEDENT
Chelsea have transfer-ban previous. Back in 2009 they were banned for two windows after FIFA's dispute resolution chamber (DRC) found that Gael Kakuta was in breach of contract when he moved from Lens to Stamford Bridge in 2007. However, the ban was thrown out by CAS when Chelsea agreed to pay training costs and £800,000 in compensation to the French club.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have all been sanctioned for similar offences.

Barca were given a ban of two windows in 2014 for breaches regarding the transfers of players under the age of 18. However, Barcelona were given a six-month reprieve after the club lodged an appeal which allowed them to sign Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Jeremy Mathieu, Thomas Vermaelen, Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. The appeal was eventually thrown out, with Barcelona serving the ban in 2015. 

Real Madrid were give a year-long ban in January 2016, which was, on appeal, reduced to just the January 2017 window by CAS but city rivals Atleti were unable to argue their ban down in similar circumstances and they were unable to register players during the winter and summer windows of 2017. The Madrid side did see their £719,000 fine reduced to £440,000.

WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE OPEN TO CHELSEA?
Chelsea will have been aware of the chances of this ban. And they appear to have reacted accordingly, signing Christian Pulisic and Gonzalo Higuain in January with perhaps a view to preparing for next season as much as this. However, despite Chelsea holding Higuain's registration and an option to extend his stay at the club, it is unclear whether the Argentine will be able to stay beyond the summer, when his initial loan deal expires, should the ban be upheld.

Another option open to the club would be to blood some of their young talent. The Blues have one of the best academies in Europe but pathways to the first team have been extremely limited, as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have found to their detriment. The club currently have 41 players out on loan, though, and, should the ban not be lifted, the Blues might be forced to give that undoubted pool of talent extended playing time.

For example, should, as is increasingly looking the case, Eden Hazard leave the club come the summer, then it should surely open up a pathway for the talented, sought-after and wantaway Hudson-Odoi. The ban, while an inconvenience, could provide - or perhaps force upon - Chelsea the opportunity to trust their academy graduates. 

Eurosport