FIFA Transfer Matching System GM Reaffirms Body's Stance On Barcelona Ban

FIFA Transfer Matching System GM Mark Goddard has reaffirmed FIFA's stance on Barcelona's "ban on signing players due to irregularities in how the club signed youth players," according to MARCA. Goddard: "This is a particularly important case for us and the decision shows that the rules are the same for everyone." He added, "Clubs are obliged to provide complete details in the module for minors in the IT system, and those players weren't in the system. So where did those players come from?" (MARCA, 1/13). ESPN reported FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that Barcelona "should be an example to the world," and added that he "hoped to speak with club management regarding a possible solution to the club's plan to ban all contact with FIFA in protest over the transfer ban." Blatter said on Monday, "It is important that in football decisions are accepted with respect because in football you learn to win but you also learn how to lose" (ESPN, 1/12).