England's football agents have "appealed to the European Commission" to throw out FIFA's "deregulation plan that they claim would lead to widespread corruption," according to Matt Law of the London TELEGRAPH. Under FIFA's proposed reforms, "agents will be replaced by 'intermediaries,' who will not be required to pass any exams or hold a licence." The Association of Football Agents has "warned that such a move will create a 'wild-west' transfer market with the welfare of players and clubs put at risk, and the integrity of the game placed under threat." AFA Chair Mel Stein said, "We think this whole concept will reduce football to a circus. ... If the new regulations are enforced it will be like bees around a honeypot because of the money and there will be an awful lot of bees out there stinging everybody." FIFA has proposed that "intermediaries under the new scheme" will see their commission on deals capped at 3%. There is "currently no cap on the commission football agents can earn, but, typically," it ranges from 5-10%. The AFA has proposed to "regulate agents itself by drawing up regulations and a disciplinary code that would be agreed with the FA, Premier League, Football League, Football Conference and Professional Footballers' Association" (TELEGRAPH, 8/20).
