The Spanish Football League (LFP) has filed a lawsuit against FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to "try and change the dates of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," according to Joaquín Maroto of AS. LFP President Javier Tebas said that he has done it "in defense of the interests of the clubs, which are contributing to the international teams." The LFP indicated in three "independent expert reports" submitted to the CAS that "in moving the World Cup to the winter we will lose" €65M ($71.5M). Last December, in a joint decision, the European Club Association and the Association of European Football Leagues (EPFL) proposed a World Cup between May 5 and June 4, the dates that would "interfere least with the European football calendar." However, that would fall just after Ramadan in '22 and would "coincide with the Arab festival Eid Al-Fitr." In March, FIFA announced that the World Cup in '22 will be held between Nov. 20 and Dec. 18 to "avoid high temperatures in the country during the spring and summer." The complaint was filed by the LFP but it was "not joined by the signatures of Europe's other major football leagues." The Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A have all supported the initiative of Tebas "but only morally, certainly they have not dared to sign the agreements." Tebas: "There is still much fear of FIFA." He added, "Using legal channels where there is a difference of opinion is what civilized people do. Nobody should be afraid to resort to a lawsuit claiming their legitimate rights, but there are still those who are afraid." The "moral support" toward the LFP is reflected in a statement by French Football League (LFP) President Frédéric Thiriez, who said, "The LFP is ready to support all the legal procedures that can be performed by the leagues against FIFA. We must defend the interests of all clubs and not just those who see players go to play for national teams" (AS, 6/28). Maroto reported in a separate piece the LFP has also filed a lawsuit against FIFA with the EU's Competition Committee over the "prohibiting of investment firms in football." Tebas: "It goes against free enterprise and against the free circulation of workers and capital." The LFP is accompanied in the suit by the Portuguese league. Nearly half of the La Liga clubs "have players on their rosters who are not entirely their property." Atlético Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil explained that this practice "doubled revenue." He said, "We have played 10 finals and won seven titles since we began in '08 to use this type of financing. Its ban would leave us at a disadvantage with respect to other countries, especially the EPL" (AS, 6/28).
