Italian club Spezia wins in appeal against FIFA transfer ban

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Italian soccer club Spezia has been cleared to resume player trading by sport’s highest court. The Court of Arbitration for Sport gave its verdict in Spezia’s appeal against a FIFA transfer ban of two years. FIFA had found the club guilty of trafficking young players from Nigeria. The players were signed before the club was bought by its current American owners. CAS says its judges found fewer proven violations of FIFA rules protecting young players. Spezia served the first part of its ban during the January transfer window. The transfer ban in the current offseason was suspended for three years’ probation.