Spanish La Liga clubs Atletico and Real Madrid have been placed under a transfer embargo following breaches in the international transfer of minors.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found the two clubs had violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of minor players (under the age of 18) as well as other relevant provisions with regard to the registration and participation of certain players in competitions.

Both clubs are to serve a transfer ban that prevents them from registering any players at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods for breaching articles 5, 9, 19 and 19bis as well as annexes 2 and 3 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (the “Regulations”).

The transfer ban does not affect the current registration period given that it opened before the decisions were notified and applies to each club as a whole – with the exception of the women’s, futsal and beach soccer teams – and does not prevent the release of players.

Additionally, Atletico and Real Madrid have been fined CHF 900,000 and CHF 360,000 respectively. Both clubs have been issued with a reprimand and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned.

The decisions were made based on the specific elements of each case and follow investigations initially conducted by FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH (FIFA TMS) and subsequently by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee as part of disciplinary proceedings.

The investigations concerned minor players who were involved and participated in competitions with the clubs over various periods between 2007 and 2014 (Atletico Madrid) and between 2005 and 2014 (Real Madrid).

The ban is under similar circumstances to the one Barcelona were given in 2014, which ended this month.

Image: Reuters / Sergio Perez Livepic