AIFF bans Hyderabad FC from registering new players for two transfer windows
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has banned Hyderabad FC from registering new players for two upcoming transfer windows owing to their consistent failure to clear the salaries of their players and staff.
The Nawabs became infamous in the ongoing ISL season for regularly defaulting on salaries, and such stringent action became necessary owing to the complaints filed by several former players and staff members.
"The club is banned from registering any new players for two entire and consecutive registration periods. The club can register new players only for the next registration following the complete serving of the relevant sporting sanction," the AIFF's player status committee said on Wednesday.
These transfer windows - referred to as the summer and winter ones - come into effect from June to August 2024 and January 2025 respectively.
The Yellow and Black are currently serving a ban imposed upon them by FIFA for failing to clear the dues they owe to their Nigerian striker Bart Ogbeche.
Hyderabad FC can overturn the ban by clearing the dues they owe
The only way Hyderabad can overturn this transfer ban is by filing an appeal with the game's governing body in India and clearing the dues they owe to their former players and staff.
It has been reported that several former players, including Borja Herrera, Joel Chianese, and Odei Onaindia have complained about this as have former head coach Manolo Marquez and goalkeeping coach Asier Rey. The latter two have even taken their grievances to the game's governing body in the world, FIFA.
Hyderabad's unprofessional financial behaviour has seen several of their top players Chinglensana Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Hitesh Sharma, Gurmeet Singh and Nim Dorjee leave the club in the winter transfer window.
Others, such as Mohammad Yasir, Sahil Tavora, and Vignesh Dakshinamurthy have been sent on loan to ease the wage bill.
All their foreign acquisitions this season - Joe Knowles, Oswaldo Alanis, Felipe Amorim, Jonathan Moya and Petteri Pennanen - have left the club, as has newly appointed first-team coach Conor Nestor.
With reports of a new investor being roped in, one expects Hyderabad to clear the arrears of their former players and members of staff soon and get the transfer ban overturned.