Chelsea transfer ban: Fifa fines FA £390,000 and warns it must clean up act within six months

It follows the news that Chelsea have been fined £460,000 and banned from completing transfers for two windows after breaking the rules in the case of an extraordinary 29 different players

Lawrence Ostlere
Friday 22 February 2019 10:46 GMT
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Fifa has fined the English Football Assocation CHF 510,000 (£390,000) after the organisation was found to have “breached the [transfer] rules in connection with minors”, and warned that it must clean up its act within six months or face further punishment.

It follows the news that Chelsea have been fined CHF 600,000 (£460,000) and banned from completing transfers for two windows after breaking the rules in the case of an extraordinary 29 different players under the age of 18.

In a statement which detailed Chelsea’s ban from registering new players until July 2020, Fifa added: “The Football Association was also found to have breached the rules in connection with minors.

“It was fined CHF 510,000 and given a period of six months to address the situation concerning the international transfer and first registration of minors in football.”

The FA will appeal the decision by Fifa, although it vowed to “work with Fifa and Chelsea ... to address the issues which are raised by this case.”

In a statement, the FA said: “The FA notes the decision of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee published today. The FA has cooperated fully with Fifa’s investigations, although we have raised some concerns with Fifa regarding its disciplinary processes.

“The FA intends to appeal the decision. We will however continue to work with Fifa and Chelsea in a constructive manner to address the issues which are raised by this case.

As this is an ongoing legal process it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

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