Finn Harps free to sign players as FIFA ban lifted after 'significant' payment

Finn Harps will be able to enter the transfer market after a FIFA ban was lifted.

With manager Kevin McHugh indicating that this could be a “busy” transfer window for the club, Harps have addressed an issue.

In recent weeks, Harps were added to the FIFA Registration Ban List due to an issue over training compensation due over two transfers that took place three years ago.

It is believed that the moves occurred between a club not under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Ireland and Harps, thereby having the matter dealt with as an “international transfer”.

The dispute was only resolved when Harps discharged a fee in respect of the compensation - a sum said to be “manageable” but still described as “significant” by club sources.

FIFA Clearing House acts as an intermediary in payments relating to training rewards (solidarity mechanism and training compensation) and ensures that payments by new clubs are correctly distributed to training clubs. It aims to improve the transfer systems and associated payments in football. 

The payments are based on the final electronic player passport and allocation statement approved by the FIFA administration.

Domestic compensation, for example to clubs in the Donegal Underage League, are much lower than those that could be due for an international transfer.

Harps filed notice of their own position on the FIFA system, believing that they were dealing with a “technicality” and insistent that no fee was due - but were left having to make a payment. 

The matter has caused disquiet with one official predicting that such training compensation payments will become a “massive issue” for clubs. 

Harps, who were aided by the Football Association of Ireland throughout the process, were not able to sign players anyway as the transfer window has been closed. 

Read next: Daniel Cunningham and Conor McGranaghan sign senior contracts with Finn Harps

However, the window opens today and manager McHugh has already said that he will be in the market.

“We have identified players to come in and obviously there will be players leaving too,” McHugh told Donegal Live recently. 

“It will be a busy transfer window. We were very light coming into this season and there has to be change. This club is too big not to have change.”