Fifa Sanctions Barcelona Over Recruitment Of Bobby Adekanye, Banned From Signing Players

Because of irregularities in the signing of minors, the hammer of world football governing body, Fifa has fallen on Spanish side Barcelona.

For the next two transfer windows, the Catalan outfit will not be allowed to register new players. In addition they were fined 450,000 Swiss Francs by Fifa and given 90 days to regularize the anomaly.

Furthermore, the Disciplinary Committee of Fifa fined the Spanish Federation 500,000 Swiss Francs for registering the minors acquired by Barcelona and was mandated to regularize its regulatory framework within a year.

One of the illegitimate signings that was investigated by Fifa involved 15 - year - old Dutch - Nigerian striker Omobolaji Adekanye.

Barcelona violated Article 19 of the Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players which states that players yet to attain the maturity age of 18 cannot be transferred internationally.

The three exceptions to that rule are :

1) If the parents change their address to the country where the new club is located for reasons not linked to football.

2) If the transfer takes place within the territory of the European Union (EU) and the player is between 16 and 18.

3) If the player lives in a home at a distance less than 50 km from the border, and the club neighboring association is also within a distance of 50 km of that border.

Barcelona chiefs have held a meeting and an official announcement contesting the ban is expected to be made in the coming hours.

Photo Credit: blaugranas.com