Green light for Financial Fair Play

The Professional Football Strategy Council (PFSC) has yesterday unanimously recommended that the Financial Fair Play concept be approved by the UEFA Executive Committee at its forthcoming meeting in Nyon on 14/15 September.

The main purpose of the Financial Fair Play concept is to improve the financial fairness in European competitions and the long-term stability of club football across Europe.

In order to achieve this purpose, a set of measures will be put in place including:

- the obligation for clubs whose turnover is over a certain threshold, over a period of time, to balance their books, or break even, (ie clubs cannot repeatedly spend more than the generated revenues);
- to provide guidance on salaries and transfer spending;
- to provide an indicator on the sustainability of the levels of debt; and
- the obligation for clubs to honour their commitments at all times.

"Financial Fair Play is crucial in order to promote the long-term sustainability of European football," said UEFA President Michel Platini. "I have been asked by many clubs right across Europe to take action in order to protect our game. The principle has now been established and this is a major breakthrough. Now we will all have to work hard together over the coming months in order to put in place the all-important detail."

The proposed measures on Financial Fair Play are to be introduced in UEFA competitions starting from season 2012/13 and will also include a proposal to limit the size of squads, which in turn will help clubs to limit their expenditure on salaries and transfers.

read more here


Read more:
No more age limit on players switching nations
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No more age limit on players switching nations

author: Simon Evans
source: Reuters
date: 3 June 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





Many players could get a new chance to play international football after FIFA's congress surprisingly voted last Wednesday to remove the age limit on changing national teams.

Under established rules players with dual nationality, who had already played for a country's national team at youth level, were only allowed to switch loyalties until the age of 21.

A motion from the Algerian Football Association, removing the reference to the age limit, was passed by the FIFA Congress, opening the way for many players to get a second chance in international football. The rule change does not affect any player who was played for the full national team as they are barred from switching nations.

The Algerian change was backed heavily by African countries - many of whom will now hope to 'regain' players who have played at youth level for European countries. Algeria could now for example have access to several players who have featured in France's youth teams.

read the full and original article here

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New step in ban on youth transfers

source: uefa.com
date: 9 March 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





Protection of minors was one of the focal points of the latest meeting of the Professional Football Strategy Council in Nyon on Monday. All four groups present at the meeting (associations, clubs, leagues and players) agreed on the principle that there should be no international transfers of minors (players aged under 18) either into Europe or within Europe.

A resolution for the protection of young players and encouragement of youth development was ratified by all four representatives' groups. The statement reads: "With regard to the protection of young players and encouragement of youth development, the Professional Football Strategy Council agrees that no international transfers (or first registration of non-nationals) of players under 18 into Europe or within Europe should be permitted."

"The question of minors is above all a moral and ethical issue. We have a duty to take concrete steps to protect young players and training clubs. I am delighted that the key stakeholders of the European football family have a common view on this major subject and I welcome the signature of this important resolution," said UEFA President Michel Platini.

The Professional Football Strategy Council is composed of elected representatives of the associations, clubs, leagues and players, and advises the UEFA Executive Committee on issues of strategic importance for European football. Barcelona president Joan Laporta took part in the meeting as representative of the clubs and signed the resolution.

read the full and original article here
read the resolution here


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