The CAS dismisses FC Barcelona`s transfer ban appeal

Tribunal Arbitral du Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
MEDIA RELEASE
THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS)
DISMISSES BARCELONA’S TRANSFER BAN APPEAL
Lausanne, 30 December 2014 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal
filed by FC Barcelona against the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) regarding
the decision issued by the FIFA Appeals Committee on 19 August 2014. In such decision, the Spanish
football club was sanctioned with a transfer ban for two periods, a fine of CHF 450,000 and a
reprimand after it was found to have infringed the FIFA regulations with respect to the registration of
a number of minor players.
In appealing to the CAS, FC Barcelona sought to annul the FIFA decision. The parties agreed to an
expedited procedure and a hearing was held at the CAS headquarters on 5 December 2014 where the
CAS Panel in charge of the matter (Prof. Petros Mavroidis, Greece, (President), Mr Efraim Barak,
Israel, and Prof. Ulrich Haas, Germany) heard the parties, their representatives and their witnesses.
The Panel found in particular that FC Barcelona had breached the rules regarding the protection of
minors and the registration of minors attending football academies (articles 19 and 19bis of the FIFA
Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players). Accordingly, the FIFA decision is confirmed in
full and the sanction remains in force.
In view of the need to issue a decision before the opening of the next transfer window, the Panel has
issued its decision without the grounds. The full Arbitral Award, with the reasons for the Panel’s
decision, will be issued as soon as possible.
For further information related to the CAS activity and procedures in general, please contact either Mr Matthieu Reeb, CAS Secretary
General, or Ms Katy Hogg, Communications Officer. Château de Béthusy, avenue de Beaumont 2, 1012 Lausanne, Switzerland.
media@tas-cas.org; Tel: (41 21) 613 50 00; fax: (41 21) 613 50 01, or consult the CAS website: www.tas-cas.org