ALBAWABA - The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has ruled that several of its regulations are in violation of EU law, according to the European Union (EU) Court of Justice.
The decision was made in response to a lawsuit filed by former French football player Lassana Diarra, which was presented before the Belgian Court of Cassation.
According to the announcement of the court, "A former professional football player residing in France contested specific FIFA-approved regulations in Belgian courts, arguing that these rules obstructed his employment opportunities with a Belgian football club."
The court emphasized that if a player contracts with a different club and cancels his contract without reason, clubs are permitted under FIFA rules to claim compensation from both the player and the new team.
It was also said that these regulations hinder the new club from obtaining an International Transfer Certificate and may impose limitations on acquiring new players for a certain amount of time if a disagreement over the contract's termination persists.
The European Court of Justice came to the conclusion that these rules are illegal under EU law, especially as they impede players' freedom of movement among EU member states and limit or sabotage cross-border club competition.
