Socceroo Mark Bresciano has reportedly been banned by FIFA for four months and fined $1.8 million for an illegal club transfer.
FIFA ruled the veteran Australian’s transfer from a Qatar club to the United Arab Emirates was illegal, News Corporation reports say.
Bresciano is currently in a Socceroos training camp ahead of Tuesday night’s friendly against Costa Rica.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) officials were made aware of FIFA’s ruling on Saturday and were studying the judgement, the report said.
“We will do all we can to assist Marco Bresciano and his representatives in having the judgement swiftly overturned and set aside,” an FFA spokesperson told News Corp.
“The advice from FIFA is that the suspension doesn’t apply to Tuesday night’s match against Costa Rica.
“Marco is available for selection and will continue his preparations with the squad.”
FFA officials were not immediately available for further comment.
Bresciano joined UAE club Al Gharafa last year, transferring from Al Nasr in Qatar.
Al Nasr appealed the transfer to FIFA, News Corp said.
The report said Bresciano’s new club, Al Gharafa, have been banned by FIFA from making any transfers for a year.
Al Gharafa have appealed the FIFA verdict to the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS), with a hearing date as yet unknown.
Bresciano, a 33-year-old midfielder, is a certain inclusion in Australia’s squad for the World Cup in Brazil starting next June.
But it was not immediately clear when any ban would start, casting doubt on his participation in soccer’s showpiece.
Al Ghara’s general secretary, Jassim Al Manosuri, confirmed the club had appealed to CAS.
“This is not a unique case, there are many precedents, we as a club are not a part of this case,” Al Manosuri said in a statement published by News Corp.
“As the player ended his contract with his former club before joining us, our next step will be filing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”
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