Fifpro: Players’ union pursues legal action to restore “basic rights” to footballers
The world football player’s union is pursuing legal action against Fifa transfer regulation that it says is failing to deliver footballers their basic rights.
Fifpro said it would pursue “all legal means necessary” to fight “football’s fundamentally flawed player transfer system” which is supported by the European Clubs’ Association (ECA) and the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL).
The player’s union says it receives around 4,000 case files a year of players who have not been paid or have had their contracts terminated early.
Talks with Europe’s clubs and league association broke down last week after Fifpro’s proposals to protect players who are not paid were rejected.
Fifpro secretary general Theo van Seggelen said the ECA and EPFL were behaving irresponsibly and were trying to “manipulate a situation which already favours them in the extreme.”
Fifpro says a gathering of 29 player associations has now unanimously voted to cease negotiations with the groups and take legal action.
The four proposals set out by Fifpro are:
1. 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.2. 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.3. That such a player be able to find work without restriction including outside of any transfer window.4. The reforms apply both internationally and domestically.