Chelsea 'refute' Fifa findings on under-age player rules
In this file photo taken on March 5, 2016 Chelsea's Burkina Faso midfielder Bertrand Traore celebrates after scoring the opening goal of their English Premier League match against Stoke City at Stamford Bridge in London. Chelsea have lost their appeal against Fifa's decision to ban them from signing players during the next two transfer windows, the football body announced on May 8, 2019. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK |
What you need to know:
- The Premier League club have been banned from signing new players in the next two transfer windows as punishment.
LONDON
Chelsea said Friday they "categorically refute" Fifa's finding that they broke rules on registering under-age players and will appeal the decision.
The Premier League club have been banned from signing new players in the next two transfer windows as punishment.
"Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the Fifa disciplinary committee and will therefore be appealing the decision," said a statement on the club's website.
"Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the Fifa disciplinary committee and will therefore be appealing the decision," said a statement on the club's website.
"Initially, Chelsea FC was charged... in relation to 92 players," it added. "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."
The move follows a Fifa probe into Chelsea's signing of foreign under-18 players, including the club's former forward Bertrand Traore, a Burkina Faso international who now plays for French Ligue 1 club Lyon.
Traore signed professional forms for Chelsea in 2013 at the age of 18 but was not registered until January the following year.
French website Mediapart, quoting documents from Football Leaks, reported that Fifa found evidence that Chelsea had supplied misleading information about Traore's signing and that he had made more than 20 appearances for the club at different age levels despite not being registered by the Football Association (FA).
Fifa said Friday it was also fining the Football Association 510,000 Swiss francs for breaking the rules on signing minors.
The world governing body gave the FA a period of six months to update its processes concerning international transfers and the registration of minors.
The FA responded on Twitter, saying: "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."
