October 25 – Six weeks after European powerhouses Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid lost their respective appeals against a FIFA-imposed transfer ban for breaching regulations on the acquisition of non-Spanish minors under the age of 18, FIFA have fined the Spanish FA (RFEF) CHF 220,000 for allowing the pair of them to sign and register underage foreign players.
The two bans are due to cover both transfer windows in 2017 after FIFA ruled that the two Madrid clubs had broken its regulations on multiple occasions. Both clubs are now appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Barcelona were previously also found guilty of breaking the same rules, imposed by Fifa to prevent European clubs stockpiling young overseas talent, only to release many of them when they fail to make the grade.
As well as the fine, the Spanish FA have also been given a further six months to regularise their “existing system within the country” and have also been issued with a “warning and a reprimand.”
The decision was made based on investigations carried out by FIFA concerning underage players who were involved with, and took part in competitions with, Atletico from 2007 until 2014 and with Real Madrid between 2005 and 2014.
A FIFA statement read: “The RFEF was found to have violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of minor players.”
“The RFEF was sanctioned with a fine of CHF 220,000 and granted an additional deadline of six months in order to regularise its relevant regulatory framework and the existing system concerning the international transfer of minors in football within the country. In addition, the RFEF was issued with a warning and a reprimand in accordance with articles 13 and 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. “
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