Fifa’s battle to regulate football agents gains momentum
Fifa have claimed a significant victory in their attempt to regulate the world’s top football agents, as the European Commission has backed the governing body’s move to bring in strict new rules including a cap on fees. Although it will be a hearing at the European Court of Justice that ultimately settles the issue, the Commission’s written submission to judges carry significant weight. It is seen by sources involved as a “huge development” and being hailed as a win for Fifa in what had been developing into a highly fractious conflict. Agents argue that the global body is attempting to unfairly affect their earning potential through a labour negotiation issue that actually has nothing to do with football, and goes against European Union antitrust laws. One strident position has been that setting a price cap would essentially represent a price-fixing cartel by the clubs, which top agents had been putting a lot of focus on. The European Commission have instead argued that a cap is entirely justified in order to protect players and contractual stability, as well as limiting conflicts of interest while protecting players who lack experience or information about the transfer system. An additional note was that agents’ fees are actually excessive and out of kilter with any normal fees for a service. The Commission’s observations also pointed to the “degree of discretion” which EU law generally affords sporting associations in order to fairly govern. Of the cap, it was stated “the defendant has plausibly pointed out that very high agency commissions, which are completely decoupled from the cost of the consideration, create a strong incentive to exert massive influence on players in particular in order to force an early transfer.” A further issue the new rules are set to tackle is on representing various parties on the same deal. The Commission has also backed restriction of this, arguing it “appears suitable” to mitigate against potential conflict of interest. A date for the hearing at the court in Luxembourg has not yet been set. Read More Fifa must secure Saudi promise over World Cup human rights, Amnesty warns Saudi Arabian World Cup in 2034 sparks ‘significant concern’ from major leagues Saudi Arabia set to host World Cup 2034 as Australia opts against bid
2023-11-01 03:50
Legal row over 28,000% mark-up for African mask
A French couple cry foul after receiving only €150 for a mask that later fetched €4.2m at auction.
2023-11-01 03:47
7 Things to Know About Native American Heritage Month
November has been proclaimed Native American Heritage Month for more than 30 years, but the movement to honor Indigenous cultures started long before that.
2023-11-01 03:46
Missouri jury hits NAR, real estate companies with $1.8 billion in damages
By Mike Scarcella A U.S. jury in Missouri on Tuesday said the National Association of Realtors and several
2023-11-01 03:24
‘Lyrically Correct’: Put Your Hip-Hop and R&B Knowledge to the Test With This Y2K Music Trivia Game
‘Lyrically Correct’ is the ultimate music trivia game for hip-hop and R&B lovers.
2023-11-01 03:23
Benchmark 10-year Treasury yield could top 7%: Ned Davis Research
By David Randall NEW YORK Investors should be prepared for long-duration Treasury yields to reach 7% if the
2023-11-01 03:20
NFL trade grades: Vikings acquire more Kirk Cousins insurance
The Minnesota Vikings acquire Joshua Dobbs as a replacement for injured quarterback Kirk Cousins. Let's grade the trade for both teams.
2023-11-01 03:20
Vikings depth chart following Josh Dobbs trade: Who will be QB1?
The Minnesota Vikings have acquired Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals to replace the injured Kirk Cousins.
2023-11-01 03:20
Pat Noonan praises FC Cincinnati in 'physical game' against New York Red Bulls
FC Cincinnati triumphed 3-0 over New York Red Bulls in game one.
2023-11-01 03:15
Belgium vs England LIVE: Women’s Nations League team news and line-ups as Fran Kirby starts tonight
Sarina Wiegman’s England travel to Leuven for their second Women’s Nations League match against Belgium in just five days. At Leicester’s King Power Stadium on Friday night, the Lionesses secured all three points following an early strike from Lauren Hemp. The held on to their slender lead for the rest of the game to run out 1-0 winners but it was far from a convincing peformance from the World Cup runners-up. A 2-1 loss back in September to the Netherlands means England are second in Group A1 and they will be determined to back up last week’s win with another victory tonight. The group winners will move into the Nations League semi-finals and the Lionesses must remain in touch with their Dutch counterparts if they hope to reach the knockout stages. A place in the Olympics is also at stake as the four group winners in League A meet in the semi-finals before the two finalists join France as the 2024 Olympic Games’ European representatives. Follow all the action from Belgium vs England below plus get the latest odds and tips right here:
2023-11-01 02:55
Raiders on the cusp of making an irredeemable mistake with Davante Adams
The "Free Davante" pleas are getting louder ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
2023-11-01 02:54
US crude output reaches monthly record in August at 13.05 million bpd -EIA
By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK U.S. field production of crude oil rose to a new monthly record in
2023-11-01 02:52
