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FIFA fines Spanish federation for violating underage players rule

The Associated Press Published Tuesday, October 25, 2016 12:43PM EDT

People are reflected in the entrance of the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, where the FIFA Executive Committee meeting takes place from Sept. 24-25, 2015. (Walter Bieri/Keystone via AP)

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MADRID -- FIFA says it will again fine Spain's soccer federation for breaking transfer rules concerning underage players from abroad.

FIFA says the federation has "violated several provisions" involving minors who were signed by Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, clubs which this year were banned from registering players during two transfer windows.

Soccer's governing body says the federation was fined 220,000 Swiss francs (US$221,000) and was "granted an additional deadline of six months to regularize its relevant regulatory framework and the existing system concerning the international transfer of minors within the country."

FIFA says it also issued a "warning and a reprimand" to the federation.

The governing body had already fined the Spanish federation for breaking similar transfer rules when Barcelona signed youth players from abroad a few years ago.