ZURICH: Brazilian champions Palmeiras have been fined CHF50,000 for breaching world football’s regulations banning third-party ownership writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee has also cautioned the club over the terms of its contracting of Argentinian forward Hernan Barcos which came to light only after his transfer of to fellow Brazilian club Gremio of Porto Alegre in 2013.

The 32-year-old had played with success for LDU Quito in 2010 when he ended the Ecuadorian season as a national champion and second-top marksman in the league with 22 goals in 32 games.

In 2012 Barcos was sold to Palmeiras for $3.5m but LDU retained 30pc of his ongoing transfer rights, which breached rules barring the third-party ownership. Subsequently the player nicknamed El Pirata (The Pirate) in Ecuador was sold to Gremio but Palmeiras refused to pay LDU their due share of the fee. LDU then complained to FIFA.

In the meantime Barcos moved on to China’s Tianjin Teda, Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon and Argentina’s Vélez Sarsfield before returning LDU earlier this month.

The FIFA punishment thus relates to Palmeiras’s agreement to allow LDU to retain an ownership claim over Barcos. However LDU escaped punishment under a loophole in the regulations relevant at the time. The rules were tightened in 2015.

A FIFA statement said: “The club [Palmeiras] was found to be liable for entering into a contract that enabled the other party to the contract, LDU Quito, to influence the club’s independence in employment and transfer-related matters.

“All charges against LDU Quito were dismissed given that SE Palmeiras was not granted any ability to influence LDU Quito’s independence in employment and transfer-related matters.”

The ban on third-party ownership was instigated by FIFA from January 2008.

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