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FC Barcelona's president Josep Maria Bartomeu speaks during a press conference. AP/Press Association Images

FIFA suspends Barcelona transfer ban

Football’s world body announced the decision in a statement released this morning.

Updated at 11.08

FIFA TODAY SUSPENDED a ban on Barcelona transfering players while the club makes an appeal against the sanction.

Football’s world body, which this month banned Barcelona from buying players for 14 months for breaching rules on the registration of minors, announced the suspension in a statement.

Barcelona has appealed against what would be a dramatic restriction on its operations and asked for the sanction to be suspended, the FIFA statement said.

The Spanish club are desperate to find a new goalkeeper and replacements for veterans such as Carlos Puyol.

FIFA Appeal Committee chairman Larry Mussenden agreed that the appeal meant the ban should be suspended.

Mussenden “took into consideration the sanctions imposed against the club, the complexity of the matter, the start date of the next registration period – 1 July 2014 – and the fact that the FIFA Appeal Committee does not seem in a position to take a decision on the main issue early enough so that an eventual appeal of the club against its decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport would still be decided before the beginning of the next registration period,” said FIFA.

Mussenden “assures that proper and adequate appeal proceedings will take place and, at the same time, that all rights of the club will be respected.”

FIFA’s disciplinary committee imposed the transfer ban on April 2 after finding Barcelona guilty of “serious” breaches of rules on under-age players.

It also fined the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) for allowing the deals.

The Spanish champions were given 90 days to regularise the situation of 10 minor players.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu described the ban as a “grave injustice” and insisted the club intend to make moves in the transfer market this summer.

There are two transfer windows in the 14 month ban, one starting in July and running to the start of the new Spanish season. The second would be in January 2015.

In 2010, FIFA imposed a similar transfer window ban against Chelsea over the signing of French youngster Gael Kakuta. It was overturned after Chelsea reached an agreement with the player’s former club Lens.

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    Mute BensGlenn
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:21 AM

    Only in football can you suspend a suspension……

    134
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    Mute Banking Bad
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:21 PM

    Well the suspension has been suspended pendig investigation of the suspension is adequate in terms of the scale of the suspension which will be suspended during the process of the appeal of the suspension.

    Does that clear it up a little for you?

    45
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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:37 PM

    Well, makes me wonder how well the Financial Fair play will be effective…… St Pats, 5 euro over, ban…. Barcelona, the GDP of a small country over, go ahead….

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    Mute Sean Barber
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 2:50 PM

    UEFAlona

    27
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    Mute Kevin J
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:21 AM

    Surprise, Surprise.

    88
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    Mute Thomas Bohan
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:26 AM

    More corruption from FIFA

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    Mute Paddy
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:41 PM

    Yeah exactly, corrupt as fu(k they are, Barcelonas lawyers will bury them in so much paperwork and appeals that nothing will ever come of it. Barcelona are very underhanded in a lot of their dealings .

    33
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    Mute Christian Carley
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:28 AM

    Well, whaddya know!

    48
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    Mute Stephen Cassidy
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:43 AM

    Complete joke. More evidence of corruption and agent power at work in football.

    35
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    Mute colin
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:00 PM

    I’m surprised it took FIFA this long.

    34
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    Mute Banking Bad
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:14 PM

    We all knew this would happen.

    Kind of like when all the Italian clubs appealed on the basis of “We know we cheated, but come on!!!”

    31
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    Mute david garland
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:14 PM

    Football as we know it is dead and gone.. Look at all the top clubs in Europe, all riddled with debt and corruption. How is it fair that clubs like Barca, Man City, Real Madrid and Utd who owe hundreds of millions are allowed sign players worth 20 – 30 million. Neymar they reckon cost in excess of 100 million and yet Barca are in debt to the tune of hundreds of millions.. These clubs are the ones competing in the top competitions every season while well run clubs around Europe are been punished.. Look at ex Ireland players like Aldridge, always happy to pose for photos and I’m sure he’d stop and have a pint with you. Can you see the Likes of Rooney and Giggs stopping for a chat with a normal Joe Soap 20 years down the line. No way, they’ll be tucked up in their mansions behind 10 foot walls and security gates..

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    Mute Dan
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:54 PM

    Hey David, Get down to a League of Ireland game instead so. Normal guys just earning a living playing football. No doubt they’d have a pint with you if you bumped into them on a night out.

    18
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    Mute david garland
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 2:28 PM

    Hey Dan who said I don’t.. I’d rather support my local loi team or GAA team than some English club..

    14
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    Mute David Geary
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 2:23 PM

    Uefalona… Jose might have a point about them! Corruption all around this case!

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    Mute Brian O Neill
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:16 PM

    Joke shop… Why would anybody take them seriously??!

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    Mute Scott Murphy
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 2:23 PM

    Well nobody seen this coming!! Don’t know why they imposed it in the first place. As some else said I’m surprised it to this long! Fifa are a shambles of an organisation

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    Mute Kris Hetherington
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:19 PM

    Might as well not have bothered

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    Mute John Dixon
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    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:21 PM

    What a joke……Barcelona pleading the poor mouth. Basically they can do whatever the f@&k they want

    1
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