Article Taxonomy: Football Governance

Fifa withdraw ‘home grown’ rule

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Fifa have decided to withdraw proposals to introduce a ‘home grown’ players rule in 2012.   Under the proposal, six out of eleven players would have to be ‘home grown, itself an ambiguous term.  For example, it can include players trained in an academy.   European sports lawyers have been telling Fifa for some time that its proposal was in contravention of EU laws governing freedom of movement of labour which the Bosman judgment made clear applied to football.

Would fair play rules hold up in court?

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Sooner or later Uefa’s fair play rules are going to face a challenge in court from a club that wants to spend as they like.   Would such a challenge succeed?   This is a question that has been debated over the last few days by members of the Sport and the European Union e-mail list who include some leading sports lawyers.    Not surprisingly, no definite conclusion has emerged which is why the question is likely to eventually go to the courts (jncidentally, leading to a nice earner for the lawyers involved).

Sports minister gives it large to FA

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The other day we argued that the policy of the new Coalition Government in Britain towards sports was likely to be less interventionist than that of its predecessor.   This will undoubtedly be the case in terms of loading up sports policy with other policy objectives such as social inclusion.

Lord Triesman and the World Cup

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We don’t want to make any detailed comment about the allegations relating to the conduct of Lord Triesman which led to his resignation from his role in England’s 2018 World Cup bid and his post at the FA.  These have been extensively covered in the press and all one can say is that there appears to have been some kind of entrapment operation which led him to making remarks in private which he would not wish to be publicised.   All of us sometimes say things in private to friends we would not wish repeated and it should be noted that Lord Triesman is denying some of

United top new league

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Manchester United may not have won the Premier League, but they have acquired the more dubious honour of topping a new Football Secrecy League.    The honour has been conferred by Christian Aid in conjunction with Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters’  Federation.

Premiership to tighten rules

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In the wake of events at Portsmouth, the Premier League has put forward proposals on who is allowed to own its football clubs.   The ‘fit and proper person’ test, which was limited in its scope, will be supplemented by a ‘means and abilities’ test.   In other words, prospective owners will have to demonstrate that they have the money that they say they have to allow them to run a club properly.&n

La Liga Strike Threat

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The Spanish footballers’ association (AFE) is deciding whether to go on strike next weekend over club debts and unpaid wages.   As it so happens, a table topping clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona is scheduled for Saturday.