Football
ESPN staff 9y

FIFPro seeks legal action over transfer reform and rights for unpaid players

FIFPro --  the world players' union -- has announced it will take legal action over rights for unpaid players after negotiations to reform the FIFA transfer system continued to stall.

The World Footballers' Association released a statement on Friday saying that it "reacted with astonishment" to European Clubs' Association (ECA) and European Professional Football League (EPFL) proposals to amend FIFA transfer regulations.

The 29 player associations that make up FIFPro Division Europe met in Athens on Friday and unanimously voted to cease all negotiations until "central principles to protect the players' rights under their contract are accepted by the employers."

An official statement read: "FIFPro has received the unanimous support of its European members to pursue all legal means necessary in a bid to restore the basic rights of players impeded by football's fundamentally flawed player transfer system.

"The World Footballers' Association believes it is left with no other alternative after player union representatives attending this week's meeting of FIFPro Division Europe, in Athens, reacted with astonishment to proposals for the amendment of the FIFA transfer regulations put forth by the ECA and EPFL.

"Negotiations to reform the transfer system ground to a halt last Friday after representatives from the clubs and leagues rejected FIFPro's reasonable demands to protect players who are not paid on time or have their contracts unjustly terminated."

FIFPro Division Europe president, Bobby Barnes, said: "The basic right of players to be paid according to the terms laid out in their contract is non-negotiable."

"We entered into these negotiations in good faith and always remained committed to find a negotiated solution, but this has unfortunately not been met with reciprocity.

"The position brought forward by the employers is so imbalanced, as to be considered antagonistic.

"This meeting highlights that our patience to find solutions has been exhausted and the European members are united in their belief that more forceful action seems inevitable."

FIFPro secretary general Theo van Seggelen said: "What the clubs and leagues propose would create an even greater imbalance than what already exists between the players and their employers.

"It is irresponsible behaviour by the ECA and EPFL who are trying to manipulate a situation which already favours them in the extreme.

"Since we're incapable of striking a fair balance, no matter how reasonable FIFPro has proven itself to be throughout this process, we should let the courts decide."

Asked by Reuters if FIFPro would take their case to either a domestic court, the European Court of Justice or the European Commission, a spokesman responded: "All avenues are open to us. Nothing is being ruled out."

The four key proposals which FIFPro says "are designed to ensure contractual stability, which the ECA and EPFL failed to accept in the latest round of talks which took place last Friday at FIFA headquarters in Zurich," are as follows:

- That a player who is unpaid for more than 30 days can elect to terminate his contract if he has given his club at at least 10 days written notice to pay what is owed
- That if a player contract is terminated by a club without just cause or by the player for non-payment, the player will be entitled to be financially compensated by having the contract paid out by the club
- That such a player be able to find work without restriction including outside of any transfer window
- The reforms apply both internationally and domestically

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