October 16 – The European Parliament is to host a high-level session in Brussels tonight to tackle the growing problem of child trafficking in sport, primarily focusing on football.
The event is being co-hosted by MEP Bogdan Wenta, the European Parliament Intergroup on Sport, and the non-profit organisation Mission 89 and will bring together representatives from FIFA, the Premier League, Interpol, the European Football Agents Association, the Italian government, the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Council of Europe.
“The exploitation of young people in sport – where vulnerable promising athletes are taken advantage of by fake agents with false promises and then abandoned in Europe or Asia – is football’s dirty secret,” said Mission 89 spokesperson Matthew Hall.
“It is a positive sign that many top stakeholders from sport, government, and international institutions will come together in Brussels to discuss the issue and find a pathway to stopping the exploitation of young people and their families. It is important for everyone to say Not In Our Game.”
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