Kmotrík on Slovan’s Punishment: It’s Only a Temporary Ban

(...) On February 21, football club Slovan Bratislava received a transfer ban from FIFA lasting a year and a half. According to general manager Ivan Kmotrik Jr. and a sports lawyer, however, the situation is still resolvable.

An unwanted distraction in the middle of an ongoing season — Slovakia’s most famous football club, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, is currently dealing with unpleasant issues regarding transfer policy. The "Belasi" (Blues) have been handed a ban by FIFA, prohibiting the registration of new players during the next three transfer windows. In practice, this means that the Bratislava club would not be able to register any new signings until the summer transfer window before the 2025/2026 season.

The potential impact of this suspension on the club's sporting ambitions is something they would rather not even imagine at the club located at Tehelne pole. Especially since contracts or loan deals for 13 first-team players are set to expire at the end of the season. The transfer ban, officially from FIFA, came into effect on February 21. The sanction was reportedly triggered by unpaid debts to former Slovan captain Vernon De Marco, said to amount to €20,000.

Last week, however, the club’s general director Ivan Kmotrik Jr. reassured fans by saying that paying the outstanding amount to De Marco would automatically lift the transfer ban. Ironically, just yesterday evening, domestic media reported that FIFA had officially issued a three-window transfer ban. The decision reportedly came from FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber. So what’s the current status? Is this an irreversible suspension, or can Slovan still dig itself out of this mess?

“This is a temporary ban. That’s why I didn’t comment on it again yesterday. People are making a big deal out of nothing. The situation hasn’t changed. What I said last week still stands,” Kmotrík Jr. told Economic Daily. According to the club official, the issue originated from an error in the finance department (...). Nevertheless, the scenario of not being able to register a new player until July 1, 2025, is one Slovan hopes to avoid.

Why? Because the club has 45 days to settle its debt to De Marco. If Slovan proves that it has fully paid the amount within this time frame, FIFA can lift the transfer ban. In practice, this is considered a softer form of punishment. One way or another, one of the most successful sports brands in Slovakia needs to manage its financial obligations carefully — especially given that there are now effective mechanisms for enforcing payment.

“If there are debts and a FIFA ruling, then payment must follow. Of course, this kind of situation shouldn’t happen, but in Slovan’s case, it appears to be more of a technical issue. A strict transfer ban usually applies when a club violates a contract during a protected period. That likely isn’t the case here,” noted sports lawyer and football agent Jozef Tokos for Economic Daily. Therefore, if Slovan settles its debt to its former player, the club should be able to conduct regular transfer business in the summer. (...)