Barcelona blast Fifa response to Arda registration request

The international governing body responded negatively to the club's wish to register the former Atletico attacker, following Rafinha's lengthy injury lay-off

Barcelona have criticised Fifa for failing to adequately respond to a request to register Turkey international Arda Turan, signed from Atletico Madrid in the recent transfer window. 

The reigning Liga champions had been banned from registering new signings for failing to comply with rules on youth team players, but a lenghty lay-off for midfielder Rafinha prompted the club to request that the Spanish Football association (RFEF) contact Fifa on their behalf, with a view registering Arda.

The ban was thought to last until the January transfer window, but the club understood that the sanction ended following the closing of the pre-season transfer window in September.

If the sanctions ended in September as thought, the only obstacle to Barcelona register Arda or any other player would be the RFEF's registration windows, which open again in January.

But a clause within the RFEF's registration rulings permits clubs to register a player for emergency cover should a player become injured for a period of over five months.

With Rafinha set to be out for six months, Barcelona attempted to use this loophole to register Arda with the RFEF's consent, but the negative response they recieved from Fifa was deemed unsatisfactory

"FC Barcelona have today [Friday] received communication from Fifa regarding the proposed authorisation request to the RFEF to proceed with the registration of the player Arda Turan," a statement on the club's official website read.

"The communication sent by Fifa has not answered the petition raised by FC Barcelona, instead it merely expresses that in their opinion the RFEF is unable to register the player mentioned, because the RFEF’s rules "could conflict" with FIFA’s rules governing these situations.

FC Barcelona has therefore reiterated to football’s international body the need for precision in their response — be that an affirmative or a negative —  because it was never FC Barcelona’s intention to request a legal opinion.

The club also indicated that they require a definitive answer from world football's governing body, with a possible appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in mind.

"What FC Barcelona requested was authorisation or, if negative, an appropriate denial," the statement continued.

"The latter would then allow the club to take the case to the CAS because the registration of players ban has already been completed in its entirety by the Club.