Chelsea transfer ban: Fifa rejects club’s request to freeze one-year suspension during appeal process

Fifa has denied a request from Chelsea to freeze their one-year transfer ban while the club challenges the suspension.

Chelsea were banned from signing players in either of the next two transfer windows after breaching rules regarding the registration of minors.

Fifa’s appeal panel chairman, Thomas Bodstrom, has denied the club chance to continue working in the transfer market while they appeal the ban.

The decision means Chelsea would now have to take the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in order to grant an interim ruling.

Fifa found the Stamford Bridge club guilty of breaching article 19 of the regulations in the case of 29 minor players, as well as a number of other infringements relating to requirements for registering players.

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An additional fine of £460,000 has been given to the Londoners, who were also given three months to rectify the irregularities surrounding the minor players involved.

Chelsea believe they have grounds for appeal, however, after a full audit of over 100 transfers found just a few breaches that they feel do not constitute serious offences.

In response, Chelsea said they were “astonished” by the decision not to suspend its sanction.

In a statement, the club said: “The club acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and has already notified Fifa of its intention to appeal against the disciplinary committee’s decision and sanction. As a matter of procedural fairness and equality of treatment, and Swiss law, the club’s right to an appeal process must be afforded, before any irremediable sanction takes effect.

“So far as the club is aware, in all previous cases where a registration ban has been imposed by Fifa, a decision has also been made to suspend the sanction until the appeal process has been completed. In this case, Chelsea considers that it is being treated inconsistently in comparison with other European clubs.

“We will consider our next steps once we have received the written reasons for this decision from Fifa. The club notes the appeal committee’s statement that it has the right to appeal to Cas. In the meantime the club will continue to fully cooperate with the proceedings.”