Brussels, 22/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 18 September, the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) lodged a complaint with the European Commission against the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). It criticises the current transfer system as being “tantamount to slavery”.
The current system allows for opening “new transfer windows” (periods in which players can be bought or sold) that are not part of the usual periods of change, which has led to an explosion in transfer fees described as “indecent” by Philippe Piat, the president of the FIFPro. According to the latter, this system contravenes EU competition rules because it allows the big clubs, which have the financial resources, to exert a monopoly on good players. It highlights the example of the Belgian player from Wolfsburg, Kevin De Bruyne, for whom Manchester City spent €75 million.
In 1995, the European Court of Justice reached a verdict on the “Bosman ruling” in which football players can leave their clubs at the end of their contract without transfer fees being paid to the club. FIFPro deplored the fact that it has become frequent for clubs to propose contract extensions to their players just before selling them, in an effort to increase their profits. FIFPro also denounced the fact that players' contracts are used more as financial instruments than work contracts. The Federation also attacks the mercenary approach of some football players' agents that are supposed to represent players, when in fact they are paid by the clubs. (Original version in French by Isabelle Lamberty)