Anti-competitive, unjustified and illegal – FIFPro blasts FIFA transfer rules after Neymar switch

Neymar’s €222million switch to Paris Saint-Germain underlines the “anti-competitive, unjustified and illegal” transfer rules governed by FIFA, according to a damning statement from FIFPro.

The world players’ union spoke out in the wake of the Brazilian’s world-record move from Barcelona, with general secretary Theo van Seggelen calling for the European Commission to investigate transfer fees within the European Union.

He claims that the “competitive balance” in Europe is being eroded by a “distorted market”, with Neymar’s eye-watering fee a prime example.

“The world-record transfer of Brazilian Neymar from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain is the latest example of how football is ever more the domain of a select group of rich, mostly European-based clubs,” read the statement from Van Seggelen

“Given much of football’s financial activity occurs within Europe, where significant transfer fees are exchanged between clubs, FIFPro is asking the European Commission to launch of thorough investigation of the transfer rules it approved in 2001 and which are now in need of urgent review.

“Stimulating reform of the current transfer system rules is a priority for FIFPro in order to protect the rights of players as workers and safeguard the best interests of the game.

“Football’s enormous wealth is trapped, research shows, within a few leagues and clubs when it could be redistributed more efficiently and fairly to help protect competitive balance, which is one of the fundamental objectives of the transfer system.

“FIFPro claims an inflated and distorted market, with escalating transfer fees at the heart of it, has helped to destroy competitive balance. The transfer rules governed by FIFA are anti-competitive, unjustified and illegal.

“FIFPro’s legal complaint to the competition unit of the European Commission, lodged in late 2015, is designed to help rebalance football and bring an end to the transfer market madness, for the good of the game, all players, clubs and fans.”

FIFA was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Omnisport.