Dubai: Al Wasl football club will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) protesting the UAE Football Association’s (UAE FA) decision to postpone the transfer of Hugo Viana from Al Ahli, it was announced on Wednesday.

Viana’s move was one of five transfers registered within a controversial two-hour extension of the transfer window in the early hours of October 3 after clubs failed to complete their business on time.

Upon the advice of Fifa, the UAE FA ruled these deals null and void on Monday and said they could only be completed once the transfer window reopens in January, leaving affected players in limbo and unable to play for either club until then.

Nasser Al Yamahi, head of the UAE FA’s Commission on the Status and Transfer of Players, who took the controversial decision to extend the deadline, has since resigned.

Al Wasl believe that Al Yamahi had the right to extend the deadline under chapter seven of the UAE FA’s Commission on the Status and Transfer of Players’ rules and regulations.

Al Wasl board member and legal advisor Mohammad Al Amri said the club had strong grounds for appeal at a press conference on Wednesday. “Chapter seven states that the head of the committee has the right to adjust the deadline, it says nothing about having to consult the UAE FA chairman [Yousuf Al Sarkal],” he said. “The last message we had from Fifa said that this was an internal issue, so you have to go back to your regulations.

“We have this defence and this is what we are depending on,” said Al Amri, who didn’t deny his club were in the wrong for surpassing the deadline. “We are not concerned with what happened before 12pm on October 2 [the supposed deadline] but rather what went on after midnight. Our situation is legally strong because of what happened after 12pm.”

Each club is allowed four overseas players but Al Wasl is the only team to have been forced to field just three foreigners due to Viana’s enforced absence. The Cheetahs are currently struggling due to the setback and are eighth in the Arabian Gulf League on nine points from the first eight games of the season.

“This is an injustice,” said Al Amri. “Where is the equality in this for Al Wasl? Fans should know that we will be fighting for the club’s rights.”

Al Amri said that the club were looking for a quick solution to the problem with either Viana or Neto Berola, the player released in order to make way for Viana’s registration, allowed to play. He added Al Wasl would also be seeking compensation from the UAE FA, for the inconvenience caused in the meantime.

“We have suffered financially through salaries and downpayments for both Viana and Berola, but also technically, and we will take all legal steps possible.”

Al Wasl on Wednesday handed UAE FA the notice of their intention to take the matter to CAS and expect a urgent response from UAE FA.

The other players and clubs whose transfers have been affected by the vetoed deadline extension are: Bani Yas Mohammad Nasser and Sa’ad Suroor, Fujairah’s Ahmad Ebrahim and Al Shaab’s Ahmad Juma.