The Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ) handed down its judgement of a long-running legal dispute involving a former high-profile footballer.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Certain FIFA rules on international player transfers are in breach of EU law, the EU's
00:07top court said on Friday.
00:09The Court of Justice of the European Union handed down its ruling following a decade-long
00:14legal challenge spearheaded by former footballer Lassana Diarra.
00:19According to the ECJ, certain FIFA rules impede the free movement of footballers wanting to
00:25progress their careers by working for new clubs.
00:28In 2013, Diarra signed a four-year contract with Russian team Lokomotiv Moscow, but the
00:34deal was terminated after Diarra was allegedly unhappy with pay cuts.
00:38Lokomotiv Moscow applied to FIFA for compensation, with its arbitration court finding Diarra's
00:44sacking was based on just cause.
00:46The player was ordered to pay the club millions of euros.
00:50Diarra claimed his search for a new club was hampered by FIFA rules stating any new side
00:55would be jointly responsible for paying Lokomotiv compensation.
00:59FIFPRO, the union representing footballers, celebrated the recent ECJ ruling, saying it
01:05would change the EU's sporting labour market.