Some FIFA rules on player transfers may be illegal, EU adviser says

The player said FIFA rules that a new club would be held jointly liable with him for paying compensation to Lokomotiv hindered his efforts to find another team.

Some of world soccer governing body FIFA's rules on player transfers may breach EU rules as they hamper players seeking to move to another team and clubs looking to hire players, an adviser to Europe's top court said on Tuesday.

The case before the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) centered on former French professional footballer Lassana Diarra, 39, who challenged the rules governing contractual relations between players and clubs.

Diarra had signed for Russian football club Lokomotiv Moscow in 2013 but his contract was terminated a year later for an alleged breach. Lokomotiv then applied to the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber for compensation and the player counterclaimed for unpaid wages.

The player said FIFA rules that a new club would be held jointly liable with him for paying compensation to Lokomotiv hindered his efforts to find another team.

He subsequently sued FIFA and the Royal Belgian Football Association in a Belgian court for damages and six million euros ($6.43 million) in loss of earnings. The Belgian court then asked the CJEU for guidance.