G-14 clubs turn the screw on FIFA
GENEVA, Switzerland -- Europe's top clubs raised the stakes in their battle with FIFA over the release of players for internationals by initiating an investigation into the world governing body by Switzerland's competition commission on Friday.
The commission said it had opened a preliminary inquiry after an official complaint by the G-14 group of clubs.
The move is a major development in the club versus country row and will infuriate FIFA.
"The preliminary inquiry will aim to show if there are elements of illicit competitive restrictions under FIFA rules," said the commission.
G-14, representing clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, wants FIFA and European body UEFA to compensate clubs for releasing players for major championships.
Under FIFA rules clubs must release players for a certain number of internationals a year and major tournaments.
"We had always tried not to go too far but we are trying to safeguard the interests of the clubs and not just member clubs," a source close to the lobby group said.
Clubs pay top players' high wages and want a share of the huge revenues generated by tournaments like the World Cup and the European championship which takes place in Portugal in June.
A FIFA spokesman declined to comment on the commission's announcement. It is not known how long the investigation will take.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in December he would not discuss the compensation issue with the clubs' lobby group.
Blatter recently introduced a coordinated calendar for soccer internationals, with specific dates set aside for qualifying games for major tournaments and friendlies, to reduce the impact on clubs and improve their ability to plan.
However, the calendar has anomalies and clubs are infuriated when players miss key games because of injuries picked up on national duty or by returning home late.
South American players employed by European clubs will play three games in eight days this week after having to fly to South America to play in World Cup qualifiers.
The G-14 also wants clubs, some of whom are in serious financial trouble after overspending on players and a decline in television revenue, to be involved in the harmonization of the calendar. This year Euro 2004 is followed by South America's Copa America, the Asian Cup and the Olympic soccer competition.
"We don't complain about national teams existing but it is no longer viable to maintain the system which is too heavy on the backs of the employers," the source said.
"We are not talking about qualifiers and friendlies but centrally commercialized tournaments."
