FIFA suspends FC Barcelona's transfer ban

Barcelona FC’s Transfer ban which was subject to much criticism by players and officials of the Catalan club has suspended by FIFA

FC Barcelona has received some good news with the governing body of world football, FIFA, suspending their transfer ban for the moment.

FIFA had earlier placed a 14-month transfer ban on Barcelona for violating rules with respect to signing international players under the age of 18. An investigation carried out by FIFA had found that the club had broken the rules in the signing of 10 minors and also infringed rules in the cases of a few others.

Barcelona had lodged an appeal with FIFA over the transfer ban and had also requested that the ban be suspended until its appeal is heard.

It now appears that the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee, Larry Mussenden, has decided to suspend the ban for the upcoming transfer window in view of the fact that any appeal made by FC Barcelona cannot be heard and challenged in the Court of Arbitration for sport, if required, before the beginning of the transfer window.

There has been no official confirmation about when the appeal will be heard. Barcelona though, will be heaving a sigh of relief as the suspension means that they can dive into the transfer market in the upcoming window which begins on July 1, 2014.

Barcelona’s transfer ban is temporarily lifted by Fifa after the club lodges an appeal against the sanction

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 23, 2014

The ban on the Club making transfers during the next two transfer windows has been lifted #fcblive

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 23, 2014