Barcelona hit with year-long transfer ban by FIFA

Barcelona have been banned from making any signings for two consecutive transfer windows, as FIFA announced Wednesday that the Spanish club is being punished for breaching its rules relating to the transfer of players under the age of 18.

The ruling can be appealed.

FIFA has been investigating the club's dealings over the past year, and have found them guilty of several violations in the case of ten minors, resulting in the 14-month ban to go along with a $620,000 fine.

The Spanish FA was also fined for breaching the rules relating to the registration of said minors.

The governing body did not make it clear when the imposition of the ban is set to begin, but should it come into effect immediately, the Catalan club will not be able to bring in any new players in the summer of 2014 or the winter transfer window of 2015.

Per a FIFA statement:

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol (RFEF) and Spanish club FC Barcelona for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

The investigations concerned several minor players who were registered and participated in competitions with the club over various periods between 2009 and 2013.

As noted by ESPN, FIFA rules state that international youth transfers may only be permitted when one of the three following conditions are met: 

• 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.
• The player’s home is less than 50 kilometres from the national border being crossed.

The statement added: "The disciplinary committee emphasised that the protection of minors in the context of international transfers is an important social and legal issue that concerns all stakeholders in football.

"The committee highlighted that while international transfers might, in specific cases, be favourable to a young player's sporting career, they are very likely to be contrary to the best interests of the player as a minor.

"Young football players are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse in a foreign country without the proper controls. This particular fact makes the protection of minors in football by the sport's governing bodies, especially by FIFA, even more important."

Despite the ruling being made Wednesday, a Barcelona spokesperson told Spanish daily AS that the club will take their opportunity to explain their transfer dealings, and that they do not expect the ban to be enforced this summer.

“We are relaxed,” the spokesperson said, via ESPN. “It is a habitual process in which we have 90 days to explain how we signed these players.”

The news comes at the most inopportune time for Barcelona, who are embroiled in another ongoing investigation with regards to tax irregularities stemming from last summer's high-profile signing of Brazilian star Neymar.

The club was widely expected to be active in the coming transfer window, with a move for Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen already thought to have been agreed upon, while reinforcements in the center of defence look a necessity with the recent announcement that longtime captain Carles Puyol will be moving on come season's end.

Croatian youngster Alen Halilovic, who was set to move to the Camp Nou this summer after Barcelona brokered a deal with Dinamo Zagreb, could now be forced to wait on his switch as well.