BREAKING NEWS / The reason behind FIFA’s decision against Skënderbeu has been revealed. Everything about the fine and how they manage it

Jun 12
3 min read

FIFA has fined Skënderbeu $5,000, imposed a domestic and international transfer market ban, and an additional 2.5% payment on certain training compensation fees, after the club failed for the second time to pass the financial and administrative control of the “FIFA Clearing House.” The FIFA case against Skënderbeu is not related to debts toward players or clubs, but to a very specific administrative-financial issue:

the failure to pass the verification process (Compliance Assessment) at the “FIFA Clearing House” (FCH), the institution that manages training compensation and solidarity payments between clubs in international transfers. Before a club can make or receive these payments, it must pass a financial and legal check related to: prevention of money laundering; fight against corruption; compliance with international sanctions; fight against terrorism financing. Skënderbeu had failed this process once before and had been sanctioned by FIFA.

However, even after this sanction, the club did not manage to pass the second verification, which led to the opening of a new disciplinary procedure. FIFA emphasizes that it is not judging whether Skënderbeu is guilty of money laundering or other financial violations. It is only judging the fact that the club has not fulfilled the requirements of the “FIFA Clearing House” verification process, which according to regulations constitutes a violation. One element that worsened the club’s position was the fact that Skënderbeu did not submit any defense or explanation within the deadline given by FIFA. Below, “Panorama Sport” presents what has happened with the Korça club at FIFA.

WHAT FIFA CONCLUDED

The Disciplinary Committee concluded that:

Skënderbeu had initially failed the “FIFA Clearing House” verification. It then also failed the second verification. Because of this failure, training compensation payments could not be processed for clubs that were entitled to receive them. The club had obstructed the normal functioning of the financial system of the “FIFA Clearing House.”

The FIFA Clearing House decision is final and cannot be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee.

WHY SKËNDERBEU WAS PUNISHED

The main reason is: the second failure in the “Compliance Assessment” process.

This failure was initially related to the transfer of player Sabastine Uche Great, transferred to Skënderbeu from P Sports Football Academy. For this transfer, Skënderbeu was required to pay €9,041.10 in training compensation.

After the first disciplinary decision, FIFA found that Skënderbeu continued to be involved in several other transactions both as a buying club and as a training club, without resolving the verification issue.

FINAL FIFA DECISIONS

1. Skënderbeu declared guilty

The club was found responsible for:

failure in the first “Compliance Assessment”

failure in the second “Compliance Assessment”

2. $5,000 fine

FIFA imposed a financial fine of $5,000.

This amount must be paid to FIFA.

3. Transfer ban

Skënderbeu is prohibited from:

registering new players in Albania

registering new players internationally