Real Madrid have announced that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will allow youth players affected by the current FIFA transfer ban to play while an overall appeal is being held.
In early September, FIFA rejected appeals brought by Real and neighbours Atletico Madrid against a finding made last January that both clubs had broken international youth transfer rules, and both were banned for 12 months from registering any new players.
Under that judgement youngsters who FIFA deemed to have been brought to the club in contravention of the rules -- including first-team coach Zinedine Zidane's youngest two sons -- were unable to play for their teams in Madrid's youth setup.
Madrid have appealed the full judgement to CAS, and are hopeful of having it overturned, although Barcelona were unsuccessful when they took similar steps to avoid a transfer ban when found guilty of breaking the same rules.
A statement released by the Bernabeu side says that CAS has accepted a petition that youngsters affected by the FIFA judgement be allowed to play games for the moment.
"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted the precautionary measures that Real Madrid C. F. appealed for following the sanction issued by FIFA," the statement said. "Therefore, the minors affected by said sanction may now play for their respective clubs."
CAS said in a statement: "Real Madrid CF is granted with a term of 90 days to regularize the situation of the minors within the club. In particular the club shall present, without further delay, the relevant requests to the Subcommittee appointed by the Player's Status Committee and comply with all the relevant rules and regulations with respect to the specific cases.
"Should the club obtain the approval of the subcommittee for registration/transfer of a player, the club shall be exempt of the prohibition imposed by the present decision for the registration/transfer of the authorized minor."