Broken fax prevents transfer in Bundesliga

Published Feb. 1, 2011 3:02 p.m. ET

foxsports

The planned transfer of a Hamburger SV player to Cologne fell through when the Bundesliga clubs failed to meet the deadline because of a broken fax connection.

Now, the clubs are hoping the German football league (DFL) will allow the deal to go through. The DFL will make a ruling this week.

The contract between Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Cologne arrived at the DFL 12 minutes after the transfer window closed Monday at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).

Choupo-Moting had picked Cologne over West Bromwich Albion with half-hour to spare. But when his father and agent tried to fax the contract before the deadline, the connection broke down. The documents eventually arrived 12 minutes late.