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Let's face it, Chelsea isn't exactly the most beloved club soccer team in the world. Whether it's because you loathe how Roman Abramovich ushered in a new era of big-money transfers when he bought the West London club in 2003 or you can't stand the on-field antics of guys like Didier Drogba, the Blues are a team many soccer fans love to hate. Love them or hate them, from a logical standpoint Thursday's FIFA ruling that Chelsea cannot sign another player until 2011 because the club induced French teenager Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with French club Lens in 2007 at first glance seems extremely harsh.
It almost makes you wonder if it weren't Chelsea, would FIFA have broken out its double-secret probation provision?
Chelsea did break a rule by getting Kakuta to break his contract with Lens. The Blues will pay a fine, but no transfers until January 2011? It does make your eyes pop out.
On the flip side, FIFA sets a strong precedent with its decision by its Dispute Resolution Chamber. A ruling like this seems like it was probably in the works for a while, and not simply piling on English clubs in light of the Eduardo diving ban.
There is clearly a rift between the governing bodies of soccer (FIFA, UEFA, etc.) and the world's mega-clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, etc. FIFA, et al, don't want these huge clubs tampering with young players at other clubs, trying to lure them with big money. Simply fining these deep-pocketed clubs probably wouldn't serve as a deterrent, both banning them from transfer certainly might.
In this specific case, Kakuta (who faces a four-month ban himself) had been with Lens since he was eight years old. Chelsea apparently swooped in before he was 16 and aimed to lure him away to London. It would seem reasonable that Lens should be compensated in some form. (FIFA ruled Chelsea should pay Lens $1.1 million.)
Lens president Gervais Martel told the Associated Press:
"It's a logical decision, they stole the lad off us when he was 16. He was at our place since the age of 8½. Unfortunately, 95 times out of 100 it's the English clubs who come and help themselves."Chances are Chelsea will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and have its transfer ban reduced. Regardless of how the appeal plays out, FIFA has signaled once again that it'll attempt to preserve the integrity of the game in the face of escalating dollars, pounds and euros.
Chelsea fans, of course, won't see it that way, instead feeling their club was unfairly singled out and penalized.
For the time being, Thursday's Kakuta ruling has the chance to become this decade's Bosman ruling.
