ZURICH: FIFA yesterday suspended a ban on Barcelona signing players while the club makes an appeal against a 14-month transfer ban.
World football’s governing body, which imposed the sanction this month for breaching rules on the registration of minors, announced in a statement that the ban would be temporarily suspended allowing Barca to sign players during the summer transfer window which opens on July 1.
The club welcomed the move.
“FC Barcelona sees the decision announced today by the FIFA Appeal Committee to provisionally allow the cautionary measures requested in the club’s appeal against the sanction imposed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee as a positive step,” the club said in a statement.
The Spanish champions are in desperate need of an overhaul in the summer transfer window after a difficult season which is likely to see them miss out on a major trophy for the first time in six years.
Replacements are primarily needed for goalkeeper Victor Valdes and club captain Carles Puyol who have both announced their intention to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
Barcelona has appealed against what would be a dramatic restriction on its operations and asked for the sanction to be suspended, the FIFA statement said.
FIFA Appeal Committee chairman Larry Mussenden agreed that the appeal meant the ban should be suspended.AFP
