FIFA bars new Flora signing from play until July
FIFA, football's global governing body, has not cleared winger Steven Kerge to play for his new club, Tallinna FC Flora, until the summer, on the grounds of his age at signing in February.
Flora manager Norbert Hurt said: "FIFA did not grant us the permit, as he was 17 at the time he signed."
"Kerge turned 18 in April, but since the transfer window had by then closed, he must now wait until July, for it to re-open. The transfer of young players is a highly regulated process, and unfortunately, he did not meet these regulations," Hurt went on.
Kerge will be able to play his first official match for Flora on July 4, when they visit Levadia at the A. Le Coq Arena for the Tallinn derby.
Flora are reigning Meistriliiga champions.
On February 14, Flora announced that national youth team player Stevin Kerge had signed a professional player contract with them, as reported by Soccernet.ee.
Kerge had previously played for the Finnish youth teams at clubs Kontu, Käpylän Pallo, and HJK, and was a part of top Polish club Legia Warsaw's youth program.
He is not as yet listed on the Estonian Football Association's (EJL) website under Flora's roster at the time of writing.
Unlike, say, the English Premier League, the Meistriliiga season runs from spring to autumn (March to November to be precise), due to climate considerations.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Siim Boikov
