Chelsea escape points deduction but face fine, two-window transfer ban for rule breach
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Chelsea escape points deduction but face fine, two-window transfer ban for rule breach")
Premier League club Chelsea face fine, two-window transfer ban for rule breach Photograph: (AFP)
Chelsea have been fined £10m and handed a suspended two-window transfer ban for historical FA rule breaches, successfully appealing to avoid a six-point deduction.
Premier League club Chelsea were fined £10 million ($13.4 million) and handed a suspended two-window transfer ban on Friday (Jul 31) for admitting to breaching 74 Football Association (FA) rules. While an independent commission initially handed down a six-point deduction for their breaches, Chelsea’s successful appeal to the board saw their points penalty replaced by a suspended registration ban.
The 74 violations covered regulations on player agents, working with intermediaries, and third-party investment in players. Chelsea’s new owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, self-reported the breaches to football authorities in 2022, when they were in the process of buying the club from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Chelsea had previously entered sanction settlements in regard to the matter with the Premier League and European football's governing body UEFA.
Meanwhile, the £10 million fine was not subject to appeal, and the full amount will be invested into grassroots football. The FA, however, added that it was continuing to investigate individual misconduct arising out of the case.
Chelsea issued a statement welcoming a "final decision" on the matter.
"In 2022, the club self-reported potential historical rule breaches to all applicable regulators," it said. "Following that report, it has worked openly and transparently with all regulators, including voluntarily and proactively disclosing many thousands of documents."
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"The club is pleased to confirm that, now the FA process has concluded, this brings all regulatory proceedings against the club to a close,” the statement added.
What happens now?
Now that Chelsea have escaped the points deduction and a transfer ban for two windows, they can continue to buy and register players in the ongoing summer transfer window and the one to follow in January.
However, should they breach another FA rule surrounding player transfers before June 2027, the hold will be lifted, and the club will face an immediate one-year transfer ban.
