Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has announced that the club has cut all ties with FIFA for the duration of their transfer ban.
The Catalans have been prohibited by football’s governing body from signing players for the next two transfer windows, after breaking rules regarding the signing of international players under the age of 18 from outside Spain.
Speaking at the same Press conference at which he announced that Barca’s presidential elections have been brought forward to June, Bartomeu outlined plans to fight the sanction.
“The relations with FIFA will continue when the sanction has finished. This is not the end of the matter.
“I foresee this Barca case becoming a watershed in the world of football, just as the Bosman case was. However long it lasts, we won’t lose,” said Bartomeu, who also declared that Barca will not have a representative at the Ballon d’Or gala despite Lionel Messi being one of three candidates for the prestigious award.
Additionally, it is understood that Bartomeu will send a strongly worded letter to FIFA President Sepp Blatter over the next few days to voice his immense displeasure at the transfer ban handed down.
