What about Gael Kakuta? His ban is suspended too!

The French youngster at the centre of Chelsea’s disputed transfer ban from FIFA, Gael Kakuta, seems to have been forgotten in the euphoria of Chelsea managing to get their ban suspended.

But the youngster himself was included in the ban, and after six weeks on the sidelines he is now free to play again!

The Chelsea youth team coach Dermot Drummy was hoping that he could give Kakuta a run-out with the reserves on Monday, but he was immediately called up by the French FA to play three matches with the France youth team.

It is hoped that they will let him actually get some game time as it can’t be good for any youngster to be forced to sit on the sidelines, especially when fit and raring to play.

It is also a bit of controversy that the youngster was included in the ban at all, considering he was only 15 years-old at the time of the alleged offense. Surely he wasn’t given the final decision on where he played as the negotiations were done through his agent and parents?

And as a minor, even if he was involved, there is no way he would have been conversant with all the neccessary rules and regulations from EUFA and FIFA regarding transfers.

In fact, he is the ONLY one that has actually been punished in this action so far, as Chelsea were unable to buy anyone anyway, but Kakuta was stopped from playing completely.

Let’s hope that the CAS take his situation into account when they finally hear the appeal, and decide that Kakuta has already been punished enough, or else he will again face a long period on the sidelines.