SWITZERLAND: FIFA LED TASK FORCE MEETS TO DECIDE DETAILS OF NEW TRANSFER AGREEMENTS OF INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLERS

Record ID: 646622

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: FIFA LED TASK FORCE MEETS TO DECIDE DETAILS OF NEW TRANSFER AGREEMENTS OF INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLERS
  • Date: 27th October 2000
  • Summary: ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 27, 2000) 1. WIDE SHOT, ZURICH 2. FIFA HEADQUATERS 3. CHIEF OF THE FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION, CLAUDE SIMONET, ARRIVES. 4. DELEGATES ARRIVE 5. FIFA GENERAL SECRETARY, MICHEL ZEN-RUFFINEN, ARRIVES 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZEN-RUFFINEN SAYING: "This is the very last meeting of the preliminary session and we hope to have a document that between two and four people will bring to Brussels next Tuesday morning. It's difficult to say we have worked on the document all week with representatives of the players, whether it will be accepted I don't know but I'm optimistic as ever, I think what we have done, especially in the last 24 hours is something that should be acceptable." 7. INSIDE MEETING ROOM 8. MICHEL PLATTINI (FIFA PRESIDENT'S ADVISOR) WITH CALUDE SIMONET (PRESIDENT FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION), AND JEAN FOURNET-FAYARD (MEMBER OF THE FRENCH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION). 9. PRESIDENT OF THE NORWEIGAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AND CHIEF OF THE TRANSFER TASK FORCE, PER RAVN OMGAL. (drinking water) 10. DOCUMENT 11. MEMBER READING DOCUMENT 12. SEPT BLATTER TALKS TO GEHARD AIGNER (UEFA GENERAL DIRECTOR). 13. WIDE OF MEETING 14. BLATTER SHAKES HANDS WITH ONE OF THE MEMBERS 15. AIGNER 16. BLATTER READS DOCUMENT 17. WIDE OF MEETING ROOM 18. GERARD BOURGOUIN (CHAIRMAN OF THE FRENCH FOOTBALL LEAGUE). 19. OMGAL, BLATTER, AND RUFFINEN. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th November 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVA2X879YYLEW6RKS8Z1TYXPOHCC
  • Story Text: A FIFA-led Task Force was meeting on Friday to hammer
    out the final details of a new transfer system it hopes will
    satisfy both those who run soccer and the politicians demanding
    change.



    Delegates arrived for the meeting on Friday morning
    (October 27) knowing they face a daunting task. Failure to
    produce an acceptable proposal to replace the existing system
    the European Commission (EC) has branded as restrictive and
    infringing on workers' rights, could, according to soccer
    officials, plunge the game into chaos.

    After years of often acrimonious debate, European Union (EU)
    competition chief Mario Monti has set an October 31 deadline for
    soccer chiefs to find a workable alternative or risk having the
    current transfer setup outlawed.

    With that deadline looming, the Task Force, which also
    includes representatives from national soccer associations,
    leagues, clubs and players, was meeting at FIFA's Zurich
    headquarters in a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement that
    has so far proved elusive.

    Even within the Task Force itself there remain gaping
    differences that still must be bridged before a document can be
    presented to Brussels.

    Representatives of European soccer's players' union FIFP
    have complained bitterly their opinions are being ignored and
    will have nothing more to do with the Task Force until their
    demands are heard.

    FIFA president Sepp Blatter, having acknowledged the current
    rules governing transfers are dead, has been pushing a plan that
    would allow the free movement of players over the age of 24 and
    end transfers for those under 18. Under Blatter's proposal,
    clubs would be able to seek compensation for the transfer of
    players between 18 and 24. However, it remains to be seen just
    how the compensation fee would be calculated.

    UEFA, meanwhile, is trumpeting a plan that calls for a
    system based on the respect of contracts and contract stability
    with the objective of minimum three-year and maximum five-year
    contracts.

    Not to be ignored is the G-14, a powerful group comprised of
    Europe's most prestigious clubs, which has voiced concerns about
    both plans.

    At the other end of the debate is the EC, pushing for a
    system more in line with national employment laws, allowing
    players to terminate their contracts in a similar way to other
    workers.

    FIFA general secretary Michael Zen-Ruffinen arrived for the
    meeting in confident mood. "This is the very last meeting of the
    preliminary session and we hope to have a document that between
    two and four people will bring to Brussels next Tuesday morning.

    It's difficult to say we have worked on the document all week
    with representatives of the players, whether it will be accepted
    I don't know but I'm optimistic as ever."
    While the battle lines appear clear, European soccer on one
    side, politicians on the other, years of intense lobbying have
    yielded the sporting forces some valuable support.

    German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and British Prime
    Minister Tony Blair issued a joint statement warning the
    Commission against radical changes.

    The EU's sports commissioner Viviane Reding has continually
    supported the idea that sport should be given a special status
    under EU laws and that, contrary to reports, the Commission does
    not intend to abolish the transfer system or create a position
    which would allow a player to unilaterally renege on a contract.

    France, currently president of the European Union, is also
    pressing for sports "specificity" to be recognised by the
    European Commission.
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