FIFA bans Chelsea from signing new players in next two transfer windows

The ban was a punishment for breaking rules on registering underage players

chelsea-flag-reuters The ban was a punishment for breaking rules on registering underage players

English Premier League club Chelsea were dealt a serious blow after FIFA banned them from signing new players in the next two transfer windows as punishment for breaking rules on registering underage players.

"The disciplinary committee sanctioned Chelsea with a ban on registering new players at both national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods," FIFA said in a statement on Friday.

As a result, the club cannot sign any players until the end of January next year.

Chelsea were also fined 600,000 Swiss francs ($600,000, 530,000 euros).

The club may, however, release players. Also, the ban does not apply to Chelsea's women's and futsal teams.

Chelsea have been given three days to appeal against the decision. They said they will do so.

"Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA disciplinary committee and will therefore be appealing the decision," the club said in a statement on their website.

"We welcome the fact that FIFA has accepted that there was no breach in relation to 63 of these players, but the club is extremely disappointed that FIFA has not accepted the club's submissions in relation to the remaining 29 players."

FIFA had launched a probe into Chelsea's signing of under-18 foreign players, and according to a French website Mediapart, Chelsea had supplied misleading information about the signing of the club's former forward and Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore, who now plays for French Ligue 1 club Lyon.

Traore, reportedly, made more than 20 appearances for Chelsea at different age levels despite not being registered by the Football Association (FA). He was, reportedly, registered after almost a year after signing.

In fact, FIFA fined Football Association, too, of 510,000 Swiss francs for breaking the rules on signing minors, and gave it six months to update its processes concerning international transfers and registration of minors. 

(With PTI inputs)

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