The origins of Barcelona’s ban by FIFA can be traced back to the improper signing of ten players (amongst them possibly Antonio Sanabria, sold to Italian side Sassuolo during the last January transfer window). Korean striker Lee Seung Woo is also amongst them. It is this player, who was signed after the 2011 Danone Cup in South Africa that has given rise to the Catalan club’s suspension. In 2013, FIFA banned Barcelona from fielding Lee Seung Woo – considered the jewel in Barça’s academy crown – for breaching article 19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
Football’s world governing body then extended the ban to Korea’s Paik Seung-Ho and Jang Gyeolhee, France’s Theo Chendri, Nigeria’s (half Dutch) Bobby Adekanye and Cameroon’s Patrice Sousia.
The players whose signings have brought about Barça’s ban from signing any players for one year are: Lee Seung Woo (under-16s), Paik Seung Ho (under-18s), Chan Kyul Hee (under-16s), Theo Chendri (under-18s), Bobby Adekanye (under-16s), Patrice Sousia (under-14s), Giancarlo Poveda (under-14s), Andrei Onana (under-18s) and Maxi Rolón (under-18s). It appears that the tenth player on the list could be Paraguay’s Antonio Sanabria.
The Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) fine is for processing these players’ transfers.
