FIFA punishes Iran s Taremi, Persepolis club over contract row

Tehran Sep 23 (IANS) Mehdi Taremi the striker of Iran s Persepolis club and Iran s national football team will stay out of action for four months after FIFA found him guilty of breaching his contract local media reported on Saturday.

Taremi had been locked in a contract dispute with Turkish club Caykur Rizespor dating back to June 2016 when the player reached an agreement to join the club and later returned to Persepolis Xinhua news agency quoted the Tehran Times as reporting.

Persepolis have also been banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows.

Moreover Caykur Rizespor are seeking 789 500 euros (944 300 U.S. dollars) in compensation from Persepolis for breach of transfer rules.

It would be a massive blow for Persepolis ahead of the crucial match against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the first leg of the AFC Champions League semi-finals.

--IANS
ajb/bg