Chelsea have been fined £10million and given a suspended two-window transfer ban, following a Football Association investigation.That came after the FA charged Chelsea on September 11 last year with 74 breaches relating to 44 transactions involving 32 players between July 2009 and August 2022.Following a hearing on December 8, an Independent Regulatory Commission of the FA imposed the £10million fine — payable by April 2026 — and a six-point deduction, suspended until the end of the 2026-27 season.However, Chelsea appealed the sporting sanction at a hearing at Wembley Stadium on May 18.The FA Appeal Board ruled that the six-point deduction was an “excessive sanction”, overturning it and replacing it with the suspended two-window registration ban which is suspended until June next year.The FA said it was “continuing to investigate individual misconduct arising out of this case” and added how the £10million fine would be invested in grassroots football.Remind me, how did we get here? What did Chelsea do wrong?This particular case, brought by the FA, began in September last year when Chelsea were charged with 74 breaches relating to rules around agents, intermediaries and third-party investments.The offences took place between 2009 and 2022 during Roman Abramovich’s ownership of the club, although the investigation had a particular focus on the period from the 2010-11 to 2015-16 seasons.It was also a hugely successful period for Chelsea on the pitch, with the club winning their first Champions League and three Premier League titles.What did the FA report say?After a hearing in December, the FA Regulatory Commission initially hit Chelsea with a £10m fine and a sporting sanction, namely a six-point deduction, which was suspended until the end of the 2026-2027 season.In their written report, it said Chelsea’s conduct highlighted a “shameful and arrogant disregard for the rules of the game, and which has done so much to bring the game of football in general, and the name of CFC into disrepute.”It went on to explain how during the period in question “those in a position of authority deliberately flouted the FA Regulations (…) in several different ways in relation to the transfer and registration of 32 players in 44 separate transactions.”The Regulatory Commission report named Willian — who Chelsea didn’t want to lose to rivals Tottenham — and Samuel Eto’o among the players connected to the transactions. However, there is no suggestion that either player was involved in any wrongdoing.Willian played for Chelsea from 2013 to 2020 (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)The report concluded that the “principal and overall motive behind the club’s conduct was to gain a sporting advantage”.It added: “In particular, by its actions and omissions, it was able to acquire a squad of players whose depth of talent at every level was greater than it would have been had they complied with the various regulations of which they were in breach.”