Dutch players' union backs lawsuit challenging FIFA transfer rules
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FILE PHOTO: Football Soccer - France v Russia - International Friendly - Stade de France stadium, Saint-Denis, France - 29/03/16. French soccer team player Lassana Diarra reacts . REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
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The Dutch professional players' union pledged its support on Thursday for the Justice for Players Foundation's class action lawsuit targeting the Dutch football federation, global soccer body FIFA and several European FAs over transfer regulations.
VVCS, which represents professional footballers in the Netherlands, is following in the footsteps of the French players’ union UNFP, which threw its weight behind a mushrooming legal challenge to FIFA's transfer system last month.
The lawsuit stems from a European court ruling that found some FIFA transfer rules violate EU law and aims to align FIFA rules with European principles of free movement.
JfP is a Dutch-led initiative founded to advocate for the interests of professional footballers across Europe.
"VVCS has observed that an increasing number of footballers are contacting the organisation because they are caught up in transfer disputes," it said in a statement.
"In some cases, this leads to frustration, but VVCS also observes numerous situations involving questionable restrictions. Across Europe, thousands of players are directly disadvantaged by the current FIFA transfer rules," it added.
"VVCS has therefore decided to support the collective action of Justice for Players (JfP) and their representation of professional footballers' interests in this initiative."
The case centres on former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra, who was slapped with a 10 million euros ($11.66 million) fine by FIFA for leaving Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow one year into a four-year contract.
Last October, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that some FIFA transfer regulations breach European Union laws and free movement principles in the Diarra case, opening the floodgates for the wide-ranging legal challenge.
EUROPE-WIDE CLASS ACTION
The Dutch players' group had launched what they described as a "potentially billion-dollar" Europe-wide class action against FIFA earlier this year, with JfP saying an estimated 100,000 male and female professional players are eligible to join.
"The current transfer system remains unfair. For example, there are footballers who train for months without any prospect of playing matches, or who refrain from exercising their right to transfer to another football club under threat of sanctions from FIFA," VVCS chair Evgeniy Levchenko said.
"Within Europe, thousands of footballers are directly disadvantaged by the current FIFA transfer rules. Supporting Justice for Players aligns with our commitment to work towards a balanced system that complies with European law."
VVCS said a study showed professional footballers have earned on average about 8% less in their careers than they would have if FIFA regulations were not unlawfully restrictive.
Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment. REUTERS
