A historic decision that could change the future of football: The European Court of Justice ruled in favor of the newly formed Super League in its legal battle against UEFA and FIFA. According to the Luxembourg judges, these two associations would effectively create a monopoly on football competitions, which, at least within the EU, is contrary to European competition rules. Is the door open to the new league promoted by Real Madrid and Barcelona, which aims to bring together the big names of the continent such as Juventus, Inter and Milan and remove them from the Champions League?
Sentence
The answer to this question is not clear. What is certain is that, for the first time, a penalty risks shaking the hitherto undisputed power of UEFA and FIFA. “The International Football Federation (Fifa) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) are private legal associations established in Switzerland – writes the Court – Their aim is to promote and define the framework of football at a global and European level. They are entitled to certify and organize inter-club football competitions in Europe.” “They have adopted rules that allow them to enjoy various media rights related to the competitions.” The judges declared that this “pre-emptive” approval power was contrary to EU law.
In other words, two federations cannot create a monopoly in football and it would be legal to create a parallel competition run by clubs. “FIFA and UEFA rules that make any new inter-club football project, such as the Super League, subject to their prior approval and ban clubs and players from playing in such competitions are unlawful – the judges further explain: FIFA and UEFA ensure that they are transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate.” are the rules”. The court also draws attention to the management of TV rights: “The rules giving FIFA and UEFA exclusive control over the commercial use of rights related to these competitions are likely to limit competition, given the importance of the media and audiences.” European Community”.
What will happen now?
The birth of the Super League two years ago caused turmoil, including political. The threat of UEFA and some national associations (such as Italy) to exclude ‘traitor’ clubs (initially 12 in total) from championships and European competitions led to an immediate retreat from English teams, and later from Italian ones. The project was implemented in recent months together with A22, the company behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and the Super League in the Spanish capital. It was precisely this company and two Spanish clubs that supported the case that reached the EU Court from the Iberian courts. “We have gained the right to compete. The UEFA monopoly is over,” said Bernd Reichart, chief executive of A22, which promised fans free matches on TV and higher compensation to clubs than those given by UEFA today.
However, it should be added that the Super League project was not liked by a large segment of society, especially the fans and clubs who would be excluded from the new tournament. A22 swears that compared to the original idea (a 12-man mini-league), there will be many more teams interested in the project, perhaps around sixty. Now he is ready to reveal his cards with the decision of the EU Court. But there is still a legal doubt to be resolved: European judges stated that their decision “does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved.” A statement that could still drag the emergence of new competition downhill.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
