By Andrew Warshaw
February 26 – The European Club Association (ECA), which comprises Europe’s top 200 clubs, is boycotting all further talks with FIFA because of its reluctance to streamline the international match calendar.
The move represents yet another breakdown in the already fragile working relationship between the two parties, with the ECA turning down an invitation from FIFA in Zurich on March 5 to discuss the calendar from 2015 onwards.
“We have had discussions with UEFA and are close to finding a final agreement with them, but talks with FIFA have been disappointing and we have decided not to attend FIFA meetings until further notice,” ECA spokesman Marc Schmigdall said.
At the core of the dispute are the ECA’s demands to have the number of internationals each season cut significantly.
With FIFA being reluctant to go down this road, the ECA will present their own calendar proposals at their general assembly in Warsaw next week, with six double headers over a two-year period the preferred option.
In recent weeks, ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (pictured above) has been openly critical of FIFA president Sepp Blatter, accusing his organization of lacking transparency.
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