Football: Fifa slaps transfer ban on Barcelona for breaching regulations on minors

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (left) and Barcelona's midfielder Cesc Fabregas react after Atletico Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Diego scored a goal during the Uefa Champions League quarterfinal first leg football match. Barcelona have
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (left) and Barcelona's midfielder Cesc Fabregas react after Atletico Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Diego scored a goal during the Uefa Champions League quarterfinal first leg football match. Barcelona have been given a transfer ban for two consecutive windows and fined 450,000 Swiss francs (S$642,200) for infringing rules on the transfer of minors, Fifa said in a statement on Wednesday, April 2, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP

BERNE (Reuters) - Spanish football giants Barcelona have been given a transfer ban for two consecutive windows and fined 450,000 Swiss francs (S$642,200) for infringing rules on the transfer of minors, Fifa said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Barcelona has been found to be in breach of... the regulations in the case of 10 minor players and to have committed several other concurrent infringements in the context of other players," the world football governing body, which carried out an investigation last year, added.

"The Disciplinary Committee regarded the infringements as serious and decided to sanction the club with a transfer ban at both national and international level for two complete and consecutive transfer periods."

The Spanish football federation was also found to have breached regulations and fined 500,000 Swiss francs.

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