Atletico Madrid have accused CAS of “discriminatory treatment” after its decision to uphold the club’s transfer ban and hinted at a Real Madrid bias.
Atleti will be unable to register new players until January 2018 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected their appeal, but the club took issue with its treatment of Real Madrid, whose embargo was partially lifted, allowing them to make signings this summer.
A statement on Los Colchoneros’ official website read: “1. We consider that the decision to support the prohibition of registering players in a second period, corresponding to the summer of 2017, poses an unfair disadvantage and discriminatory treatment to our entity, since recently and in a similar case, the penalty was partially lifted, allowing to register players starting on July 1. This ruling is unfair and causes an irreparable damage to our club.
“2. The resolution has been communicated after the time limit established in the agreement signed by the parts, which finished yesterday, May 31, 2017. This shows a lack of respect for our institution.
“3. We want to reiterate that we have been penalised despite strictly complying with the Spanish legislation, as we have always processed all our licenses with Madrid’s Football Federation, as the Sports Law indicates.
“4. Our sports planning for next season has contemplated at all times the two scenarios that could arise once CAS announced their decision.
“From this moment on, the club will move forward in the negotiations necessary to formalise the operations to register players from the January 1, when we will be authorised by FIFA to register new licenses.
“5. We have full confidence in our current squad, with which we have won direct passage to the Champions League for the fifth year in a row and have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
“The club has the commitment of the players and coaching staff to continue competing at the same level next season, despite this decision that is evidently detrimental to us.
“Together, team, club and supporters, we will continue to fight for our goals.”
