[ 2016-11-25 ]

African youngster challenges FIFA in Zurich court over U18 transfer rules
An African youngster has slapped Fifa with a
lawsuit in a Zurich court over regulations that
ban the transfer of players under the age of 18.

The case was been filed at the Zurich Commercial
Court on behalf of the unnamed 17-year-old African
player and his parents, who say that the rules
make Fifa's transfer regulations unlawful.

A spokesman for Zurich law firm Nater Dallafior
Rechtsanwaelte, which has brought the case, said
in a statement that the player, who had
represented his country at youth level, was unable
to move to a club in the European Union because of
the rules.

"Thereby, he and his family miss the probably
unique chance of a professional and social
advancement," said the statement issued on
Thursday.

Fifa bans the international transfers of players
under the age of 18 unless their parents have
emigrated for reasons not connected to football or
both the player and club are based within 50
kilometres of a national border.

The only other exception is for transfers within
either the EU or European Economic Area (EEA),
where the minimum age is 16.

In those cases, clubs must still ensure that the
player continues his education and studies for an
alternative career, as well as making sure he has
a high living standard.

"Fifa implemented these regulations on the pretext
that young football players such as the claimant
must be protected," said the statement.

"In reality, however, these regulations lead to a
discrimination of football players from third
countries outside the European Union." This, it
said, made them unlawful.

The statement said the rules also infringed EU
law, which allowed for unrestricted free movement
of students and employees.

Fifa could not immediately be reached for comment
but has argued in the past that the rules go back
to an agreement it signed in 2001 with UEFA and
the European Commission and these had been further
developed over the years.

Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have
been banned from signing players for two transfer
windows by Fifa for breaching the rules while
Barcelona have completed a similar ban. All three
clubs denied wrongdoing.

Fifa is also facing a legal complaint at the
European Commission from the world players' union
FIFPro, which says that the current transfer
regulations have led to a lack of competition in
the sport.

Source - Soccernet

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