Window shopping over for Barcelona

The Importance of Keeping On Top Of The Game

Barcelona are now free from their 14 month embargo on the transfer market which was imposed on them by FIFA for contravening Article 19 of the FIFA regulations concerning the transfer of minors. 

FIFA regulate the movement of players under 18 who can only be acquired if they meet one of the following criterion:- Under 18’s need to be moving to the country with their parents for reasons other than football, if they live in the EU or EEA, or the distance they live from the club can have an effect on compliance.

Barcelona was unsuccessful in their appeal to the court of arbitration for sport and the ban remained in place. Nonetheless by launching the appeal the ban was temporarily lifted pending the decision. This afforded the Catalan Giants the opportunity to buy the likes of Luis Suarez, Thomas Vermaelen, Claudio Bravo, Ivan Rakatic, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Jeremy Mathieu.

Despite the ban finishing in August 2015 players could not be registered until 4 January 2016 when the transfer window reopened. So how did they purchase Arda Turan and Alexia Vidal? Article 124 permits players to be registered outside of the transfer window where there is a need for replacement of players with long-term injuries. Following a knee injury picked up by midfielder Rafinha against Roma, side-lining him for a suspected six months, Barcelona purchased these players in replacement. However, FIFA refused to allow the registration of the players until the following transfer window on the 4 January: since which time, both made their debut appearances on Saturday 9 January.

Needless to say this highlights the importance of being fully aware of and compliant with FIFA regulations which have since been re-evaluated, now  requiring an International Transfer Certificate for minors aged as young as 10 years of age. One thing is for sure Barcelona won’t be making the same mistake again and although they did some anticipatory purchases during their appeal, it will transpire over the next few weeks whether the embargo has had them eager to splash the cash.

Jermaine Malcolm

Paralegal

Pinder Reaux & Associates

Business Services News

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