Next week, 1. FC Köln will appeal against FIFA’s ruling on a transfer ban at the International Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas and is hoping for a temporary lifting.
“From our point of view, FIFA made a completely absurd judgment without any basis,” said FC Managing Director Christian Keller in Cologne.
The club is hoping for a so-called suspension pending a verdict. “Otherwise we need a plan B,” said Keller, who spoke of a draconian punishment. In the dispute with the Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana about the free transfer of the young player Jaka Cuber Potocnik, Cologne was banned from transfer for two periods by FIFA and also had to pay 51,750 euros to the Slovenian club.
Keller also reported that on August 30th there was a friendly, almost 90-minute conversation with two club representatives from Ljubljana. Afterwards, the guests thanked them in writing for a conversation in a “great atmosphere”, but did not want to accept the Cologne agreement offer. The offer was higher than the amount that FC now has to pay to the Slovenian club. “What Ljubljana asked for was completely unreal,” said Keller, who was not in office when the player signed in January 2022. In addition to the club’s penalties, 17-year-old Potocnik has been handed a four-month ban.
Should the verdict remain, the people of Cologne would still have to go to a regular court. However, Keller does not see any great chances of that. “I don’t know if this is a promising fight,” said the FC managing director.
