FIFA slams transfer ban on Atlético, Real Madrid

The world football governing body has sanctioned Spanish clubs Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players.

According to a statement from the FIFA media office on Thursday, the registration related to players under the age of 18.

“The two clubs were found to have violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of minor players,” the statement read.

“They also violated other relevant provisions with regard to the registration and participation of certain players in competitions.”

The committee said both clubs are to serve a transfer ban.

The ban will prevent them from registering any player at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods.

“This is for breaching articles 5, 9, 19 and 19b, as well as annexes 2 and 3 of the regulations on the status and transfer of players,” the statement said.

The transfer ban, which does not affect the current registration period at all, given that it opened before the decisions were notified, applies to each club as a whole.

There is however the exception of their women’s, futsal and beach soccer teams, and it does not prevent the release of players.

Additionally, Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid have been fined CHF 900,000 and CHF 360,000 respectively.

Also, both clubs have been issued with a reprimand and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned.

The decisions, which were notified to the parties concerned on Thursday, were made based on the specific elements of each case.

They followed investigations initially conducted by FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH (FIFA TMS) and subsequently by the FIFA disciplinary committee as part of disciplinary proceedings.

The investigations concerned minor players who were involved and participated in competitions with the clubs over various periods between 2007 and 2014 (Atlético Madrid) and between 2005 and 2014 (Real Madrid).

The statement affirmed that FIFA works hard to protect the rights of players under the age of 18 – whether male or female, amateur or professional.