Governing Bodies
Football agents move forward with their lawsuit against FIFA
This Monday the new FIFA Agents Regulations came into force which, however, will not begin to be applied until next October 1, after this stipulated transition period.
However, the representatives have not said their last word and are filing several class action lawsuits over what they consider to be clearly illegal: the controversial cap on agent commissions and the failure to serve all parties involved in an operation or a buyer and seller club in the same transaction.
In fact, this measure fully affects the footballers themselves, since the rule benefits them in some cases (such as paying their agent 3% instead of 10%), but seriously harms them in others, such as the fact that that the footballer will no longer be able to delegate to his club to pay the agent, he will also have to pay the VAT on the services or the payment to the Treasury cannot be deducted.
Another risk for footballers is that from now on they will receive many offers to renew their contracts before the rule comes into force on October 1 to avoid the new conditions set by FIFA. By endowing the soccer player with all contractual responsibility with his agent, it is also probable that he will have to pay for other services that his representative offered him before. On the other hand, the player will now be more protected by FIFA than by ordinary justice, since the lawsuits will be decided by a court of the highest body in world football.
For the footballer, however, there are many advantages, such as providing agents with greater training and transparency. One of the great challenges of the Clearing House is to reduce money laundering and all payments between clubs, players and agents will always be made through this body.
The footballer acts now if he so wishes in his own name and right. It will be easier for him to break a contract due to some negligence of his agent than by signing a new contract or transfer. In addition, the automatic or tacit extensions of the contracts are no longer valid. Agents will be prohibited from making payments to relatives of the players, something that had become a common practice, also by the clubs, which will not be able to take advantage of this route either.
The agents, the big losers
The losers are clearly the agents who are going to see their profits diminished considerably and that is why they have decided to continue with their class action lawsuit. For a salary of more than 200,000 euros, the commission for the agent is 3% of the player’s salary, the same percentage if he represents the buying club, 6% if he represents both and 10% if he negotiates on behalf of the selling club. Given that at most the footballer and the buying club can be represented at the same time, the agents will get a maximum of 10% of the operation with the third option. With some nuances, the most important agents in the world support this demand because they all agree that capping commissions is illegal in the free market of the European Union.
FIFA has unsuccessfully sought the support of agents before approving the rule. Also from UEFA and the ECA (European Club Association) but after Infantino announced the new Club World Cup without prior notice, these two organizations have left only the highest body in world football in the face of the upcoming litigation.
-Marca
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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