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Thursday September 10, 2009

Kenyon claims rival clubs shocked by FIFA’s transfer ban on Chelsea

GENEVA: Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said on Tuesday that rival clubs are shocked that FIFA banned the London club from signing players after they bought French 18-year-old Gael Kakuta from Lens.

Kenyon said at a European Club Association meeting that Kakuta was also stunned that his move in 2007 was judged as a breach of contract. FIFA last week ruled on Lens’ complaint and imposed a transfer ban on Chelsea until January 2011.

“I think there is a general shock,” Kenyon told reporters in a break from meetings involving officials from more than 100 clubs across Europe.

“(Gael) is shocked like a lot of other people. Gael is a very good young man, he is a good professional. He wants to develop his career and he has just been selected for international duty.”

Kenyon said Chelsea had to “ensure that he is fully supported at what is a difficult time for him”.

He said Kakuta’s move was “in no way” a case of child trafficking – the phrase UEFA president Michel Platini has used to describe international transfers of players aged under 18.

Chelsea would mount the strongest possible appeal against FIFA’s decision, Kenyon said.

The case will eventually be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport but no timetable has been set for the hearing or verdict.

The subject of signing under-18 players was highlighted at the assembly in Geneva of the ECA, which represents 144 of Europe’s best and wealthiest clubs. Chelsea are a member and Kenyon sits on the lobby group’s 15-man ruling board.

Kenyon said he was not at odds with the ECA’s support for moves by UEFA and FIFA to ban international transfers of under-18s.

“It has been talked about for the last 12 months and Chelsea have signed up fully to the ECA and UEFA’s position, along with FIFA’s,” Kenyon said.

“We need to separate our overall position with the specific case. The fact we are appealing tells you our position.”

Football’s global governing body FIFA regulate international transfers and allow some exceptions for under-18s to move, if their parents move countries to work or their new club is close to a neighbouring border.

A third exception exists for transfers within the 27-nation European Union bloc because its labor laws class 16- and 17-year-olds as workers with equal rights to free movement. — AP

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