Uefa, Fifpro urge action on player welfare after Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele injuries
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Spain's Lamine Yamal (left) and France's forward Ousmane Dembele, whose injuries sparked concerns about players' welfare.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, AFP
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PARIS – Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and David Terrier, president of players’ union Fifpro Europe, called for action on Sept 15 to safeguard player health, warning that the congested fixture calendar has reached a tipping point.
Their joint statement came after Barcelona coach Hansi Flick’s criticism of Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal’s groin injury, in which he said the 18-year-old was given painkillers to play in World Cup qualifiers, despite complaining of discomfort.
Paris Saint-Germain said last week they were seeking corrective measures and accused France’s medical staff of ignoring their recommendations on injury risks after Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue returned to the club injured.
France’s players’ union has also blamed the international calendar for risking player health.
Ceferin and Terrier, who met last week in Albania, have urged Uefa, associations, leagues, clubs and unions to work together to protect player welfare, while upholding the values of the European football pyramid.
“Our collaboration with Fifpro Europe reflects a shared responsibility to protect player health and strengthen the foundations of the game,” Ceferin said.
“National team football remains a pillar of Europe’s identity and unity.
“As demands on players grow, it’s more important than ever to work together – with national associations, leagues, clubs and players – to find balanced solutions for the future of the sport.”
Terrier said there was a collective responsibility to take action.
“We all recognise that the calendar has reached a tipping point,” he said.
“In Europe, we are fortunate to have the tools and the partners – including clubs, leagues and national associations – to build protocols that protect the well-being of players and ensure that both national team and club football continue to inspire, unite and grow.”
In the case of Yamal, Flick said: “He played with the national team despite pain. He had problems, played 79 and 73 minutes, and didn’t even train between matches because of this pain.
“That is not really taking care of the players, is it? It is not. Spain, they have the best team in the world, best players in the world. In every position, they are unbelievably good.
“So, maybe they will also want to take care of our players, our young players, but it’s like they are doing this (to them). This is what I can say and I’m really sad about this.”
The teenager, who helped Spain win the 2024 European Championship, played 152 minutes in World Cup qualifiers away to Bulgaria and Turkey last week, contributing three assists.
Barcelona’s press officer Gabriel Martinez said he was uncertain if Yamal would be available for their Champions League opener at Newcastle United on Sept 18.
For PSG, Dembele faces about six weeks on the sidelines with an injured left hamstring, while Doue will be out for around four weeks due to a calf problem after they picked up the injuries during a 2-0 win over Ukraine in Poland. REUTERS, AFP
