Barcelona Prospects Hurt by Transfer Ban

Barcelona has failed to overturn the ban which will prevent it from signing any new players until January 2016 after the current transfer period ends. The club’s appeal to FIFA was rejected this week and its only remaining option is to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The ban was imposed on the club after they were found to have broken rules on signing international players under the age of 18. It was put on hold once the appeal was launched which allowed the club to sign Luis Suarez; however, it will be re-imposed at the next transfer window.

In a statement Barcelona said that it would “continue defending its interests before the highest sporting authority, in this case the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

The club was originally sanctioned in April for breaking the rules in the case of 10 minors.

According to FIFA rules international transfers are only allowed for players over the age of 18 with three exceptions. Under-18s can transfer if their parents are moving country for non-footballing reasons, they can move if they are from another country within the EU and are aged between 16 or 18, and finally they can move if they live within 100KM of the club.