LONDON: Manchester City has avoided a transfer ban after admitting breaching Fifa rules on signing youth players, media reports said.
The Premier League champion has been fined 370,000 Swiss Francs (£315,000).
Fifa said City breached article 19 of its regulations: “International transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of 18.”
City says the breaches, which all occurred before December 2016, were as a result of “misinterpretation of the regulations in question”.
Chelsea was banned from signing players for two transfer windows for a similar rule breach – but the club is appealing to have that overturned.
City said the rule breach was in relation to players on trial and their participation in friendly games, and that the club had been “fully compliant” since. The club also said they “co-operated fully” with Fifa’s investigation.
“The club accepts responsibility for the breaches which arose as a result of misinterpretation of the regulations in question,” said City.
Last year, two players from Ghana’s Right to Dream football academy – Sierra Leone’s George Davies and Ghanaian Dominic Oduro – told Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that they signed for City and played in youth matches before they turned 18.
“The Fifa disciplinary committee has sanctioned English club Manchester City FC for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18,” said football’s world governing body in a statement.
The club is currently being investigated by Uefa for alleged financial fair play violations.
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