A 14-year-old boy cannot play Sunday league
football until he gets international clearance after
playing in a junior tournament in Russia.
Rob Johnstone needs clearance from the Football
Association to play for Swavesey Spartans in the
Cambridge & District Colts League.
His father, Rob Sr, said the issue was "an international
transfer saga".
The FA said it was adhering to Fifa regulations that
ensure the safety of minor players.
The Johnstones moved to Russia in 2006 with Rob Sr's
work but returned to Cambridgeshire in June this year.
Rob Jr played for a Moscow youth team called Tip Top
Tigers, a side unaffiliated with the Russian football
authorities, between August and October 2011.
After being asked for a series of documents and
reasons for their move back home, the FA said it would
need correspondence from the Russian Football Union,
even though Rob Jr was never registered with them.
"What I thought was going to be a very simple situation
where he would play for the local under-14s turned
into an international transfer saga," said Rob Sr.
"He's not registered in Russia. There's no paperwork.
He played for a kids team in a tournament with boys
and girls playing together.
"The latest I've heard is that after 17 October,
Swavesey's club secretary can apply for some sort of
clearance. Whether the FA will grant it or not I don't
know."
Rob Jr added: "It's really annoying. It's stopping me
from doing the thing I like to do."
In a statement the FA said: "The FA has a commitment
to football for everyone but the case regarding Rob
Johnstone requires international clearance under Fifa
regulations.
"As the player is under the age of 18, strict regulations
have been enforced by Fifa (article 19) to ensure the
safety of minor players and these apply to all 208
national associations across the globe.
"The mandatory documentation required by Fifa must
prove that the parents have moved to the new country
for non-football related reasons.
"The FA has been liaising with the Russian FA since last
month in the hope that we can get Rob Johnstone's
international clearance through as quickly as possible
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