Following a complaint by a Turkish Sporting Club, the World Football governing body (FIFA) ruled in favor of Süper Lig team Çaykur Rizespor and imposed a heavy penalty and fines against Persepolis and Mehdi Taremi.

Both Team Melli striker and his agent Golghi, have been penalized for illegally leaving the Turkish club and required to pay a fine of € 789,500. Both are also suspended  from all football activities for a period of four months.

Persepolis is also banned from any transfer activities for two windows of winter and summer transfers and will not be able to attract new players until the winter of 2018.

Persepolis is facing the most challenging of period  of the club history as they have set camp in Dubai in preparation for the AFC Champ[ions League semi final on against  Al-Hilal of  Saudi Arabia. Taremi , the leading scorer for the club will not be available.

With the demand by Persepolis, Taremi’s change of heart as well as Hossein Hedayati’s encouragement  , Taremi returned from Turkey to Iran despite signing an official contract to play for the Turkish club and as a result , he is faced with unprecedented penalty.

Petiro Espoor announced in March of 2016 that he would sue Taromi, but Persepolis did not take the Turkish club’s threat seriously and announced that they can easily deal with the matter. Persepolis always maintained that Mehdi Taremi is a Persepolis player who has been ill-advised! 

The Iranian media have repeatedly warned of the consequences of Taremi’s law abuses. Persepolis has had many months to negotiate peacefully with the Turkish side, but lack of understanding of law, arrogance and simply poor management skills which the club is famous for, has turned out to be a very expensive affair.

Even after the FIFA  decree, Ali Akbar Taheri, the CEO of Persepolis, announced that if there is no penalty against the club accept the suspension of Taremi !

FIFA is very strict in about players’ commitment and obligations to their clubs and vice versa. Iranian clubs are notorious for breaking rules as both Persepolis and Esteghlal have been found guilty of several rules breaking.  Taremi has been fine for not respecting the terms of the contract and leaving the club without notice and without obtaining a clearance from his employer , Çaykur Rizespor.

Persepolis club has the opportunity to appeal to the High Court of Sports CAS , but if the verdict is reaffirmed, then there is an added heavy costs of the trial proceeding that should be paid.

Çaykur Rizespor’s complaint follows another  Persepolis’ involvement in the case of former coach Manuel José. Than fans are worried about the consequences of that case which might be even a bigger penalty against Persepolis.

One source inside the FFIRI mentioned  that “Despite the denial by Persepolis, the letter of suspension has reached the Football Federation and on Saturday , a session is scheduled to be held in the federation to examine the issue.”

Following the news of Taremi’s suspension, the club coach Branko Ivankovic said that he is extremely concerned with lack of professionalism displayed by the player and ill-advise that Taremi had received following his departure from Persepolis to Turkey and the quick U-Turn.  The Croat coach , however, was defiant and insisted that despite his top scorer absence , he is determined to take the team to its first ever AFC champions League Final.