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11 October 2012

Startscherm

28 October 2013

” On the FIFPro Black Book and organized crime ”

Wil van Megen, Legal Department

Communication Black Book, March 22, 2012

Startscherm

integrity in sport 4

FIFPro Legal

FOOTBALL AND ORGANIZED

CRIME:

> Strange combination Content presentationImpact of crime in footballWhy a Black Book ? Outcome What can we-the players- do ?


FIFPro Legal

IMMEDIATE CAUSE FOR THE

BOOK?

> Signals from Eastern Europe2011: Thessaloniki conference Players’ testimonies match fixing2 types of goals Seemed wide spread FIFPro answer: research !

Research

•15 unions in 15 countries (-/- 3)•Questionnaire for all professional footballers •Anonymous•Possibility to make a personal statement•Result: great response ! (3357) FIFPro = trustworthy partner.

Research

Five areas: •Contracts •Financing•Training alone•Match fixing•Violence (including racism/discrimination)

Task force collected all informationScientists made statistical analysis to show relationship between problems

FIFPro Black Book Eastern Europe

•Some outcomes: •Lack of written contracts•Lack of written bonus systems•In substantial numbers: no labour agreements > means : no protection

Analysis of all participating countries

Non-payment

41.4% of respondents say their clubs did not pay salaries on time and more than half of them state that their bonuses are not paid on time (53.4%).

Around 5% of the players have to wait more than 6 months for their salary.

Black Book, 26 April, 2012


FIFPro Legal

Correlations match fixing

Non payment : 55% approached

Training alone: 31% approached

Violence: 38.6% of victims

approached

Criminals can “smell” vulnerable

players


FIFPro Legal

COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBLEMS

Solution: No pars pro toto

Small steps:

Code of conduct, tailor made

Look at the practice of everyday

Key issue: vulnerability of players


FIFPro Legal

Training and education

Key for a good understanding

Beginning of the solution

But, not enough

big problem> no way to go/lack of

knowledge/awareness

Corruption in club

management/federation


FIFPro Legal

FIFA/UEFA: crime fighters ? Fighting crime is subject for law

enforcement (Mutschke)


FIFPro Legal

What can we do as NGO’s ?

Safer environment: Netherlands

-Licensing system (UEFA/national)

-Guarantees: labour agreements -

payments in time: otherwise

sanctions

-No significant problems in NL

-No reports of match fixing

incidents

Important: enforcement within FA


FIFPro Legal

GOOD GOVERNANCE

-CLUBS: PAY IN TIME

-FA’s: minimum wage (Finland)

-self regulation : Germany

-Agents: due

diligence/transparency

(UK) FIFA new rules ??


FIFPro Legal

AGENTS ARE PART OF THE

PROBLEM:Some countries: no problemsOthers many problems (FIFA

DRC)Players not paid/dismissedAbuse of procedures FIFA/CASBut: Agents get their moneyCURE: negative transfer advice


FIFPro Legal

OUTCOME OF ACADEMIC

RESEARCH

The more at stake: less vulnerable

Why ?

Make all matches important !

How ?


FIFPro Legal

EUROPEAN LEVEL

EC grant for project: “don’t fix it”

Birbeck University

8 COUNTRIES

>Prevention /code

>into dressing rooms


FIFPro Legal

ACTION: SHOW MATCH FIXING THE

RED CARD (copy of previous

campaign)

-ambassador model : result ?

Young players: extra vulnerable:

FIFA TMS for minors : protection of

young players

Contacts with FICA: online training

program + code of conduct


FIFPro Legal

alert system for players

FIFA/UEFA hotlines ?

Union hotline ?

FIFPro is financing safe alert system

Combination with early warning systems


FIFPro Legal

Position of Former Players

Role models for minors

Also: way to involve in match

fixing

US research: 9 year cycle

Out of money: vulnerable

Career fund (Netherlands)

Reduction of risks


FIFPro Legal

HOW TO REDUCE THIS RISK ?

Second career education: FIFPro

Academy

Career fund (Dutch model)

Transition: football >second

career +

Old age pension


FIFPro Legal

DEBT COUNCELLING

VVCS: service open to members

Players and former players

Organized and financed

Help within legal system and

outside

-career fund


FIFPro Legal

EUROPEAN SOCIAL DIALOGUE

-minimum requirements

(agreement)

-contractual stability

-Pan European career fund

-supported by UEFA+ EC

-yet objected by ECA/EPFL


FIFPro Legal

Follow up on the Black Book ?

Response / media / partners in

sport

Authorities (i.a. EC/Europol)

FIFPro website: permanent

attention

Result: pressure on responsible entities >

UEFA sanctions (not the big ones)

Note : FIFPro is not a governing body


FIFPro Legal

Study Rehabilitation system

Once on the wrong path ?

Study with PFA England

Revive old FA rehabilitation

scheme

on addictions, now for match

fixing

Role of WADA


FIFPro Legal

Thank you .

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