Chelsea transfer ban: Fifa denies request to freeze punishment during appeal process

Chelsea have been denied a request to freeze a transfer ban while they appeal against the punishment handed out by Fifa.

The Blues have been banned from registering new players until January 2020 for breaking rules over the signing of foreign under-18 players.

Chelsea deny any wrongdoing and have appealed against the decision.

But Fifa says it has denied measures which would see the transfer ban frozen during the appeal process.

Chelsea were charged after Fifa said it found breaches in 29 cases out of 92 investigated, including that of striker Bertrand Traore, now at Lyon.

The Blues have also been fined £460,000, while the Football Association has been fined £390,000.

In previous cases, involving Spanish clubs, Fifa has relaxed the measures such that transfer bans were not enforced during the appeal process.

The ban, which covers two transfer windows, does not prevent the release of players and will not apply to the club's women's and futsal teams.

More to follow.