The International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO) and the European Leagues, representing more than 1,000 clubs in 33 countries across the continent, have filed a joint complaint against FIFA with the European Commission for the “unilateral imposition” of the international match calendar. “The international match calendar is currently oversaturated and unsustainable for national leagues and for the health of players. The decisions taken by FIFA have favoured its own competitions and its commercial interests,” said the joint statement from both entities on Tuesday.
In the statement, both organisations protest that FIFA “has systematically refused to include national leagues and players’ unions in the decision-making process” and oppose the calendar being decided “unilaterally”. Last June, the footballers’ unions of England, France and Italy already initiated another separate legal procedure before the Commercial Court of Brussels, and this complaint, to which LaLiga is added, will state that the match calendar “violates European Union (EU) Competition Law, and in particular constitutes an abuse of a dominant position”. “The European Leagues and FIFPRO have informed the European Commission of their decision, and will collaborate closely with the Commission, with the corresponding public institutions and with the interested parties throughout the entire investigation procedure”, concludes the statement.
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