Int'l players' union FIFPro and UEFA have issued a complaint to the European Commission to "outlaw third-party player ownership," according to Mark Cue of the LONDON TIMES. The move is designed to "counteract the complaints raised by the leagues in Spain and Portugal" over FIFA's implemention from May 1 of a "worldwide ban of the practice," described as "slavery" by UEFA President Michel Platini. FIFPro and UEFA are determined to "stop third party investors from owning player transfer rights," which was banned in the Premier League in '07. UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino said, "Third-party player ownership is a kind of modern slavery, where you see
players belonging to investment funds, or other, generally unidentified,
corporate entities" (LONDON TIMES, 4/1). The BBC reported UEFA and FIFPro argue that businesses or funds owning the economic rights to players "can be harmful and undermine football's integrity." A global ban on third-party ownership by FIFA comes into effect on May 1. However, some Spanish and Portuguese clubs "want to continue the practice and have already lodged a complaint" (BBC, 4/1).
