November 25 – FIFA is facing a lawsuit in a Zurich court over its ban on transferring players under the age of 18, one of its most contentious rules that has already led to severe sanctions imposed on Spain’s three largest clubs.
The case was been filed at the Zurich Commercial Court on behalf of an unnamed 17-year-old African player and his parents, who say that the rules make FIFA’s transfer regulations unlawful.
A spokesman for Zurich law firm Nater Dallafior Rechtsanwaelte, which has brought the case, said in a statement that the player, who has represented his country at youth level, was unable to move to a club (unnamed) in the European Union because of the rules.
“Thereby, he and his family miss the probably unique chance of a professional and social advancement,” said the statement.
FIFA bans the international transfer of minors unless their parents have emigrated for reasons not connected to football or both the player and club are based within 50 kilometres of a national border.
The only other exception is for transfers within either the EU or European Economic Area (EEA), where the minimum age is 16.
“FIFA implemented these regulations on the pretext that young football players such as the claimant must be protected,” said the statement. “In reality, however, these regulations lead to a discrimination of football players from third countries outside the European Union.”
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have been banned from signing players for two transfer windows by FIFA for breaching the rules while Barcelona have completed a similar ban. All three denied wrongdoing.
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