It seems that a European Union challenge to the transfer system will/may come in September. 5 Live reckon that's the crack from the FIFA meeting today. We can say a fond farewell to many of the smaller clubs as soon as it happens - if it happens. Nobody is a more staunch defender of workers' rights than I am, but for goodness' sake, there has to be a exemption for football.

Did I say "workers" whilst refering to football? Sorry.

-- Anonymous, August 05, 2000

Answers

Did I say "a exemption"? Sorry.

-- Anonymous, August 05, 2000

Here's an article on the story from Sporting Life:

FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen has predicted "the end of football" unless the world governing body can mount a successful defence against a test case which could go before the European Court later this year.

Known inside FIFA as the 'Perugia case', the matter surrounds the payment of transfer fees between clubs for players who leave while they are still under contract.

As the buying club, Italian outfit Perugia initially refused to pay a fee for an un-named player - who has since left the club.

FIFA ordered them to do so and would have ordered the Italian Football Federation not to register the player if they had not. But the case alerted officials in Brussels, who have indicated that the matter may contravene current European employment law.

It is believed a hearing will be launched in September and if the EU find in favour of Perugia, the payment of transfer fees would effectively be abolished. Zen-Ruffinen admitted such a situation would have catastrophic consequences for the game.

"If we allow a player to leave his club at any moment without compensation being paid it would be the end of football," he said.

"We have to find a solution to this problem and find a way of binding a player to a club.

"Effectively, what this would mean is that a player could literally move clubs every day.

"It would be impossible to police and would destroy the game as we know it today."

FIFA have already initiated a working group to investigate the matter but unless they can head off the potential threat, the consequences would far outweigh those which accompanied the Bosman Ruling, which also came into force as a result of EU intervention.

Because the Treaty of Rome enshrines freedom of movement within member states, the EU continue to argue that sportsmen and women should not be treated any differently than those involved in other occupations.

Both FIFA and UEFA have actively challenged this theory, although with little success.

Britain and Denmark are among those countries who believe the law should apply to everyone and unless there is unanimity among member EU states, there can be no change to the present situation.

In a further development, FIFA is also fighting against the argument of an Hungarian player who is challenging the present Bosman regulations.

Because Hungary is not part of the European Economic Area, players who move to and from that country are not allowed to do so without a fee being exchanged, even when they are out of contract.

However, in this case, the argument is that Hungary should come under the Bosman umbrella because it has a trade treaty with the EU.

The whole situation is now bordering on farce and is sure to cause alarm among top European clubs who have splashed out vast sums of money on star names this summer.

Having spent almost #40million on Luis Figo, Real Madrid could now find that the Portuguese international can leave for nothing whenever he likes, while world footballer of the year Rivaldo would be in a favourable bargaining position when he is discussing the options at his disposal.

"The complaint was raised some months ago and Brussels feel there could be something in it," said Zen-Ruffinen.

"They are now expecting a reaction from the football world and want us to confirm what our transfer regulations are.

"We have always adopted our own rules and member associations have the right to refuse international clearance for a player if there is a dispute over his transfer.

"We might have to look at the possibility of a player registering for a club and accepting that he has no right to be transferred anywhere else for a certain period.

"This is a very dangerous situation and one we need to address very quickly."

-- Anonymous, August 05, 2000