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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; FC Barcelona fans aren't waving their flags over FIFA's latest sanctions. (Lluis Gene/Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FC Barcelona, which has won four of the last five Spanish football championships, will not be allowed to make signings in\u00A0two straight transfer periods, as FIFA leveled a ban on Wednesday relating to the club breaking the rules\u00A0governing international transfers of players under 18.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FIFA did not say when the punishment will begin, but if levied immediately, it would be for the summer of 2014 and winter of 2015. It also comes with a fine that equates to $508,000.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u201CThe FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol (RFEF) and Spanish club FC Barcelona for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18,\" FIFA wrote about its investigation, which started last year. \u201CThe investigations concerned several minor players who were registered and participated in competitions with the club over various periods between 2009 and 2013.\u201D&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SI WIRE: MLS player says league rivals Premier League in organization, atmosphere, fans&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;International youth transfers can only take place under three situations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\tIf a player's parents have moved countries\u00A0for non-soccer related reasons.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\tIf the move takes place within the European Union and\u00A0a player is between 16 and 18 years old.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\tIf the player's home is less than 50 kilometers from the national border being crossed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barcelona was also cited for violations\u00A0in February 2013, when FIFA found that six players \u2014 Koreans Lee Seung-Woo, Jang Gyeol-Hee and Paik Seung-Ho, Frenchman Theo Chendri, Nigerian-Dutch player Bobby Adekanye and Cameroonian Patrice Sousia \u2014 from two of its youth teams were in breach\u00A0of the transfer rules.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The transfer period signing ban could have major ramifications for Barcelona, the top ranked UEFA club team, but the team is taking a measured stance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Said a team spokesperson: \u201CWe are relaxed. It is a habitual process in which we have 90 days to explain how we signed these players.\u201D&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The club is expected to appeal.\n&lt;strong&gt;SI WIRE: Report: FIFA committee members threatened corruption probe&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/si-wire/2014/04/02/fifa-bans-barcelona-two-transfer-windows>