UEFA Slams 2-year Ban On AC Milan

• For breaching FFP rules  

One of Europe’s elite soccer clubs, AC Milan of Italy has been axed from all continental competitions for two years.

According to UEFA, the European soccer governing body, Milan’s suspension follows its breach of existing Financial Fair Play (FFP) Regulations

The FFP rules were “established to prevent professional football clubs spending more than they earn in the pursuit of success and in doing so getting into financial problems which might threaten their long-term survival. They were agreed to in principle in September 2009 by the Financial Control Panel of football’s governing body in Europe (Union of European Football Associations – UEFA).”

With UEFA’s confirmation of the ban, Milan, which came sixth in Serie A last season to secure their spot in 2018/19 Europa League, will no longer feature in the competition.

Similarly, the Italian giants will be excluded from participating in the 2019/20 season even if they qualify for any of the Europe’s competitions.

Bought over by a Chinese conglomerate in 2016, Milan spent over £170m on new players last summer, including Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci and Portugal striker Andre Silva.

A UEFA statement siad: “The Adjudicatory Chamber of the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB), chaired by José Narciso da Cunha Rodrigues, has taken a decision in the case of the club AC Milan that had been referred to it by the CFCB Chief Investigator for the breach of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, in particular the break-even requirement.

“The club is excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next two (2) seasons (i.e. one competition in 2018/19 or 2019/20, subject to qualification).

“This decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in accordance with Article 34(2) of the Procedural rules governing the UEFA Club Financial Control Body, as well as Articles 62 and 63 of the UEFA Statutes.

“The full reasoned decision will be published on UEFA.com in due course.

The regulations provide for sanctions to be taken against clubs who exceed spending, over several seasons, within a set budgetary framework. Implementation of the regulations took place at the outset of the 2011–12 football seasons. The severest penalty is disqualification from the European competitions. Other penalties included fines, the withholding of prize money, and player transfer bans. – With agency reports