Following a significant court ruling related to soccer transfers, FIFA announced on Monday that it will invite important global participants for discussions about updating regulations questioned by former France player Lassana Diarra.
On October 4, the European Court of Justice decided in the Diarra case that some aspects of FIFA’s transfer rules did not align with competition laws and workers’ freedom of movement.
While some experts believe this could shake up the entire global transfer market, valued at over $10 billion annually, FIFA thinks the talks can focus more specifically on disputes between players and clubs involving contract terminations without valid reasons.
The discussions will include the global players’ union FIFPRO, as well as representatives from clubs, leagues, and national soccer federations.
“Together with them, FIFA will determine what conclusions must be drawn from the Diarra decision, and which changes are most appropriate and suitable to make to article 17 of the (transfer regulations),” said Emilio García, FIFA’s chief legal officer.
Diarra, who previously played for Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Chelsea, signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2013. He ended the contract a year later due to dissatisfaction with alleged pay cuts.
FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport found that Lokomotiv terminated the contract “with just cause” and ordered Diarra to pay 10.5 million euros ($11.2 million). Diarra argued that FIFA’s rules affected his ability to find a new club, making the next club partly responsible for compensating Lokomotiv.
“The Diarra decision confirms the sanctity of contracts. Nobody, neither a club nor a player, can simply walk away from a valid contract,” García stated. “Consequently, if players wish to be released from a contract, there will be financial consequences.”
The FIFA-led discussions will begin as the Diarra case returns to a local court in Belgium, where a final decision could take years.
