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24th November 2006

Challenges For The Future of European Football - Politics & Sport

This Monday (27/11/06) a Conference will be held in Brussels –Belgium that will influence and shape the future of football. The conference marks the conclusion of an initiative between FIFPro (Fédération Internationale des Footballeurs Professionnels), the World players’ union representing over 57,000 of the World’s professional football players and the European Commission, termed the ‘Social Dialogue’ project, it’s purpose being to discuss the future of professional football in Europe.

FIFPro has invited FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), UEFA (Union des Associations Européennes de Football), EPFL (European Professional Football Leagues), Members of the European Parliament and representatives of the European Commission to discuss the future of football in Europe. The conference will hear reports from various academic researchers and legal experts commenting on the FIFPro/EC social dialogue initiative and football’s future.

It has been proposed that a European white paper be prepared in 2007. The paper will address how sport, and more specifically football as the most popular sport in Europe, as an entity should be viewed from political, economical, social, cultural, recreational, health and regulatory perspectives. The paper will also discuss what role and jurisdiction the European Parliament has in sport and in what ways sport should be considered to differ, if any, from other activities that take place in European life for example industry/economic activity in general.

This debate has many major aspects to it and the major powers of European and World football are working hard to have their voices heard regarding their hopes and concerns.

FIFPro is concerned that current proposals could ultimately lead to an erosion of players rights’ to share the employment rights of other European citizens.

Sports related issues in Europe and the involvement of the European Parliament is not a new dynamic e.g. we have seen the 'Bosman case' where professional footballers won the right to be recognised as having employment rights that had previously been denied to them. Rulings on media rights have created a situation where for the first time the live English Premiership football rights will be owned by the two separate competing broadcasters Setanta Sports TV and Sky TV as from next season.

One of the main players in this debate on the future of football is the World footballers union FIFPro who are concerned that some parties are trying to use as a diversionary tactic, ‘a distortion of reality’, by emphasising a relatively small number of players whose talents in the world football market place have earned them a high level of income and profile. In truth the majority of footballers face a very different life, one of uncertainty, fear of injury and unemployment and a future out-with the game where they are all to often poorly prepared from a financial and educational perspective.

Source: FIFPro