Saint-Etienne's Moustapha Bayal Sall has been suspended until December 9 after FIFA insisted that his four-month ban should start at the beginning of the domestic season and not July 1 as previously thought.

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The French league (LFP) initially presumed the ban would start immediately after the ruling to suspend him, which would have made Sall available from October 31.

The 22-year-old Senegalese defender was sanctioned for singing a pre-contract agreement with Norwegian club IK Start in April 2006 while he was at US Goree in his homeland.

He moved to Les Verts in August that year, which constituted a breach of contract.

Start complained and, while Saints were absolved of any blame, FIFA decided that the player should be sanctioned and they finally agreed on the punishment on June 25 this year.

Sall claimed that he was unaware that he was tied to Start because he signed a contract in English without translating it beforehand.