Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid are reportedly set to be hit with one-year transfer bans by FIFA for "irregularities in signing youth players," according to Dermot Corrigan of ESPN. Cadena SER's radio show El Larguero reported both Madrid clubs have committed similar offenses to those "which have seen Barcelona banned from signing any new players" until January. FIFA only permits int'l youth transfers when "one of the following three situations apply: the player's parents have moved country for their own non-related reasons; the move takes place within the European Union if a player is aged between 16 and 18; or the player's home is less than 50 kilometres from the national border being crossed." Last year, Barca was found to have made "numerous violations of these regulations." In January it was reported that both Real and Atlético also have "many non-EU youngsters on their books." Atlético is reportedly the club in La Liga with the most non-Spanish players in its cantera -- or youth academy -- "with a total of 43 youths from 26 different countries." Real also has a number of "very young players from Asian countries." El Larguero said that FIFA is now "set to move against both Madrid clubs, with a decision already made to ban Atletico for two transfer windows," and very likely to ban Real for the same period (
ESPN, 4/29). CADENA SER reported Real, "which feared that this sanction could arrive, has been moving quickly in recent months, closing signings for next season with players like Marco Asensio, Danilo, Lucas Silva and Martin Odegaard." The only way "that the teams could sign players would be if amnesty is granted to all clubs being sanctioned" by FIFA President Sepp Blatter if he is re-elected in May (
CADENA SER, 4/28).
REAL REACTS: AS reported Real formally responded on Wednesday. The club "vehemently denied the claims, describing the information as false." Real's statement said, "The club would like to state the following:
1. That said information is completely false, as demonstrated by the fact that the Spanish Football Federation has spoken to different media outlets to refute the claims that Real Madrid is implicated in any kind of irregular activity when it comes to signing minors.
2.- Real Madrid reiterates that the club has always scrupulously adhered to the FIFA regulations, as was explained in detail in the official announcement dated 26 January 2015.
3.-Real Madrid is once again saddened by these reports, some of which are intended to cause harm, the only aim of which are to implicate the club in supposed infractions that have not been committed.
4.- At the same time, it is surprising that certain media outlets insist on connecting the latest signings with a hypothetical sanction, as there is no relationship between the signing of players and their subsequent inscription, which is what FIFA prohibits" (AS, 4/29).
ATLÉTICO UNAWARE: REUTERS' Iain Rogers reported an Atlético spokesperson said that the club was "unaware of any possible FIFA sanction." The spokesperson said, "We have no information regarding that. We collaborated with FIFA in the investigation at all times. We are sure that we acted correctly. Because all the licenses were
processed after approval from the Madrid soccer federation and the
Spanish soccer federation." A FIFA spokesperson said, "We are not in a position to comment on any proceedings that are ongoing.
No further information can be provided for the time-being" (REUTERS, 4/29).
